"Indian policy ... Where Does It Stand?" - Hon. Jean Chretien. - Speech. - 16 October 1969.

This speech discusses the Aboriginal reaction to the Federal government's 'White Paper', released in June 1969. Chretien stresses that Canadian society "must break down the barriers of misunderstanding and discrimination" for Aboriginal people to be accepted in Canadian society.

Historical note:

The Federal Government's "White Paper," "Statement of Government of Canada on Indian Policy, 1969," fanned the flames of the Aboriginal land claims movement in British Columbia. The White Paper rejected the concept of special status for native people within Confederation - they should have the same rights and responsibilities as other Canadians. The government argued that Aboriginal and treaty rights were irrelevant in today's society; the important issues demanding attention included economic, educational, and social problems. In their assessment of the native situation, the government could not see that the poverty, social crises, and bleak future faced by most Aboriginals was rooted in the very denial of Aboriginal and treaty rights.