Membership

Looks at a community consultation process that is attempting to move away from the 'blood quantum' model of descent to a more cultural and kinship-based one. Chapter 6 from Political Theory and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples edited by Duncan Ivison, Paul Patton and Will Sanders. To access chapter, scroll to page 113.

Education Thesis (Ph.D)--University of Western Ontario, 2016.

Describes William Apess' misunderstanding of the relationship between his grandmother and Philip of the Pequots and his later discovery of his Wampanoag heritage.

Compares commonalities and differences of First Nation citizenship in Canada to that of Native American citizenship in the United States.

Critique of Canadian governments response to the Quebec Superior Court's ruling in Descheneaux c Canada (Procureur general). Argues that while the Bill may address the Indian Act's discriminatory clauses, it does not deal with issues such as citizenship, jurisdiction, and the status system as a whole.

Bill was supposed to remedy the sexually discriminatory section 12(1)(b) of the Indian Act; deals with who is entitled to Status. Document covers issues such as reinstatement backlog and priorities, registration documentation, identification of father/illegitimate children, and funding issues (health, education, housing, child welfare) resulting from increase in status population.

Outlines problems with the Bill and makes recommendations for amendments to it which would remove all discrimination against women.

Pan-African Studies Thesis (M.A.)--University of Louisville, 2014.

Describes issues with Bill C-7 regarding the reporting structure set up by the federal government.

Discussion of identity under the Indian Act and the past discriminatory provision of women who marry non-Indian men losing thier status, and social and political rights.

Examines the challenges for authenticity of Indigenous identity claims in the United States.

Outlines how the Indian Act has defined "Indian" and developments that have taken place since First Nations have been given the power to regulate which individuals are considered members.

Due to an old Indian Act provision, Christine Blackstar LaPlante could exercise voting rights and received annuities after her 1937 marriage to a Métis man. However, that legislation prevented her from living at Moosomin reserve and excluded her children from membership.

Gives context of issues surrounding status and band membership, and highlights some of the discussion and proposed solutions which came out of the Exploratory Process on Issues Relating to Indian Status Registration, Band Membership and Citizenship (Bill C-3).

Submission of treaty land entitlement claim to the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development for a shortfall of entitlement lands based on additions to band membership after the first survey. [This file has been saved and made available online with permission from the Indian Claims Commission website before it closed down in March 2009.]

Process to take place as a result of the decision in Descheneaux c. Canada (Procureur général) which ruled on sex-based inequities in Indian registration affecting first cousins and siblings that were carried forward in the 1985 and 2010 amendments to the Indian Act. Bill S-3, the government's response, extends entitlement to status to people omitted from historic list.

Book review of Becoming Indian by Circe Sturm.

Provides overview of the background, administration and processes of the law, discussion of issues and concerns, and recommendations for improvements.

Summarizes two presentations: "Registration and Membership: Issues for Aboriginal Communities", and discussion of Kahnawake community's experiences with determining membership.

File contains a presentation by Florence Boucher detailing discrimination she experienced because of the Indian Act and Bill C-31. She is frustrated that some persons under Bill C-31 receive education funding, while others also under the Bill do not receive funding. Following the presentation are remarks by the Commissioners.

File contains a presentation by Acting Chief Elaine Myers, Bartlett's Harbour Indian Band Council. Myers discusses the history of the Band Council, which represents approximately 550 Non-Status people. Myers highlights a variety of concerns including unemployment, education, social problems, policing, family issues, housing issues, a lack of recreation facilities, economic problems, fisheries, literacy concerns, and the need for the Band to be registered. Following this Chief Myers discusses some of these issues with Commissioners Erasmus and Robinson.

This file contains a presentation given by Chief Fred Fraser stating that "the Bill C-31 citizens of the Tsuu T'ina Nation are a direct result of discriminatory legislation and creates a special consideration for the federal government to give official recognition of the Tsuu T'ina Bill C-31 Band as equal and distinct.

File contains a presentation by Grace Menconse, Vice-President of Native Mediation Inc. Menconse, a Bill C-31 person, discusses her groups problems with an undefined self-government, jurisdictional issues, with lack of accountability and transparency in Band politics, and the need to apply the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to Status Indians. Menconse also discusses electoral fraud and serious human rights abuses which she accuses Aboriginal leadership of being complicit in.

File contains a presentation by Harold Prince relating to the overwhelming demand for housing on the Nak'azdli First Nation, due to Bill C-31 reinstatement, members returning home for economic reasons or upon completion of their education. He calls on the Commission to help secure more funding for proper housing for band members. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.

File contains a presentation by Jack Smith. Smith is a sessional lecturer with the department of Native Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. Smith discusses off reserve and urban status Indian's concerns, primarily with regard to Treaty Land Entitlement and participation in Band politics. Smith also discusses Aboriginal input into the University of Saskatchewan's policies.

File contains a presentation by Merilda St-Onge, representative of the women of the Montagnais Nation. St-Onge discusses the legal issues pertaining to women's status in the Indian Act, and Bill C-31, as well as the issues she has personally faced as a reinstated individual under that legislation. St-Onge also discusses Montagnais women's economic and political issues in a more general sense, paternity issues, and other related matters. Following the presentation St-Onge discusses these issues with Commissioners Dussault, Wilson, and Chartrand.

Examines the controversial dismissal of Ward Churchill, a professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Explores difficulties involved in reconciling First Nations women's human rights with the right to self-government, which may result in discrimination against women in areas such as band membership.

Lists academic literature (616 sources) covering a wide range of topics relating to Bill C-31 and published since 1969.

Provides an historical overview of the events leading to changes to Indian Act which stripped status from Indian women who married non-status Indians or non-Indians.

Synthesis of assessments by managers throughout Department of Indian and Northern Affairs of operating environment. Outlines main issues and constraints which had affected operational planning process. Includes statistics from Indian Conditions: A Survey published in 1980.

Author responds to William W. Quinn, Jr.’s article "The Southeast Syndrome: Notes on Indian Descendant Recruitment Organizations and Their Perceptions of Native American Culture” published in AIQ 14:2. Discusses identity, identity policing, and settler self-indigenization.

Discusses issues surrounding one Alberta band's efforts to control its membership numbers.

Entire issue on one pdf. To access article scroll to p.11.

Provides an Aboriginal perspective on citizenship in the context of Treaty in Canada.

Basic information gathered for use developing a program to provide urban housing for its band members. Report forms part of the Bridges and Foundations Project on Urban Aboriginal Housing.

Discusses concepts of citizenship in the context of colonization and Indigenous peoples and proposes a unique framework at both local and global levels is required.

Book review of: Those Who Belong by Jill Doerfler.

Book review of: Those Who Belong by Jill Doerfler.

Describes how the Lule Sami people obtained Sami status in Norway in the 1970s.

Canadian Studies Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 1997.

Interdisciplinary Studies (M.A.)--University of Victoria, 2002.

Reflects on annual treaty days, a symbol of the past and the ongoing treaty obligations.

Geography Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska, 1997.

Sheilla Jones and Sheila North to discuss Let the People Speak: Oppression in a Time of Reconciliation. The pair have taken the ideas in the book and formed the Modernized Annuity Working Group.

Bill was meant to correct gender-discrimination with respect to loss of Status, for both women and their children, due to marriage to non-Status men. Amendment created new issues in terms of band membership, two-tiered system of Status and second-generation cut-off rule, and insufficient funding for First Nations to provide housing and services to new registrants.

Looks at the how the Indian Act has affected Aboriginal women's status by isolating women from political participation within their communities.

Discusses how the government might balance self-governance rights with anti-discrimination laws.