Lesson 5 — Activity 1: Indigenous         Self-Government


Warm Up


Before beginning this activity, let's review definitions regarding Indigenous peoples.

 

Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous peoples are descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. Under Canada’s Constitution Act (1982), three groups of Indigenous people are recognized: First Nations (Indians), Métis, and Inuit peoples. First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples are separate peoples with unique heritages, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs.



First Nations

First Nations are the various governments of the first peoples of Canada. The term started being commonly used in the 1970s to refer to both Status and non-Status Indians and is preferred by many Indigenous peoples to the term "Indians." All First Nations in Alberta are members of one of three Treaty organizations.


Métis People

Métis people are people of mixed First Nations and European ancestry. They are distinct from First Nations, Inuit, or non- Indigenous peoples. The Métis have a unique culture that draws on their diverse ancestral origins, such as Scottish, French, Ojibway, and Cree.


Inuit

Inuit are Indigenous people in northern Canada who live above the tree line. The word means "people" in the Inuit language — Inuktitut.

(Adapted from K&E Studio)

In this activity, you will examine the systems of government of Indigenous peoples.

Indigenous people trace their existence and their systems of government back as far as when oral history began. They say that the ultimate source of their right to be self-governing is the Creator. The Creator placed each nation on its own land and gave the people the responsibility of caring for the land — and one another — until the end of time.

In international law, which Canada respects, all peoples have the right of self-determination. Self-determination includes governance, so Indigenous peoples are entitled to choose their own forms of government, within existing states.


man with feather     

eagle feather


In Canadian history, the colonial powers won no "rights of conquest," for there was no conquest. Nor was North America free for the taking, as was claimed later. In most of their early dealings with Indigenous peoples in what is now Canada, the colonial powers recognized them as self-governing nations. This was set out in treaties and in the Royal Proclamation of 1763.


Indigenous peoples' right of self-government within Canada is acknowledged and protected by the Canadian constitution. It recognizes that Indigenous rights are older than Canada itself and that their continuity was part of the bargain between Indigenous and non-Indigenous       people that made Canada possible.




You may have heard of self-government before. Self-government occurs when a group of people controls its own affairs and makes decisions, just as Indigenous people did before Europeans arrived.

Today, Canada's Indigenous peoples use a combination of traditional and newer methods of government to organize and meet their people's needs.

They are working diligently towards achieving self-government so that they can control their own affairs. This means running things such as their own schools, businesses, health clinics, justice systems (dealing with laws), and local governments.


Digging Deeper!

Click on the Play button to watch a video that explains how this self-government model works for the Blood Tribe in Southern Alberta.


In the northern part of Canada, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories have high populations of Indigenous people. The territorial governments are a step towards self-government for Indigenous people because they include traditional Indigenous ways to run their governments.

In both territories consensus (which means that everyone agrees before a decision can be announced) is part of the government system. The people who are elected to run the territory choose their own leader, or premier, for the territory. They also decide who will be in charge of important areas that the government must run.

Their government is organized as follows:

1. The people in a certain area elect a representative to speak for them in the government.

2. All elected representatives become part of the government.

3. Cabinet ministers are chosen from these elected representatives to take charge of a certain responsibility, such as education.

4. A premier is chosen from among these representatives to lead the government.





Self-check!


Try This!


Think about the following questions regarding Indigenous self-government.

1. What subjects do Indigenous schools include in their curriculum?

2. What are healing circles?

3. What are healing lodges?  


1. Indigenous schools include subjects such as Indigenous languages and traditional cultural practices and ceremonies.


2. Healing circles are traditional supportive groups that get together to help people deal with problems.


3. Healing lodges are places where Indigenous people who break the law can go to get help to overcome their problems.