The Relationship between Canada and Indigenous Peoples: Where Are We?

• Author: Naiomi Metallic
• Pages: 423-446



TheRelationshipbetween

CanadaandIndigenousPeoples

WHEREAREWE

Naiomi Metallic*

A. INTRODUCTION

OwinginlargeparttotheTruthandReconciliationCommissionFinal

ReportwearehavingmorediscussionstodayaboutIndigenousissues

includingestablishinganationtonationrelationshipandrecognizing

andimplementinginherentrightsandIndigenouslawsThesearenot

newsubjectssomepeoplehavebeendiscussingthemformanyyearsIt

doesseemhowevertherearemorepeoplejoiningtheconversationtoday

ThisisapositivedevelopmentTherearemanyquestionsthatarisein

thesedialoguessuchasWhatdoesreconciliationmeanWhatdoesa

nationtonation relationship look like Howdo we make meani ngful

changeinthenextyearsofthiscountryInhavingthesediscussions

itisimportantforallofustoappreciatewhereweareatthismomentin

ournationshistoryintermsoftherelationshipbetweentheCanadian

stateandIndigenouspeoplesIamarmbelieverthatknowingwhere

 ChancellorsChairinAboriginalLawandPolicyandAssistantProfessorSchulich

SchoolofLawDalhousieUniversity

 TruthandReconciliationCommissionofCanadaHonouring the Truth, Reconciling

fortheFutureSummaryoftheFinalReportofTruthandReconciliationCommissionof

CanadaWinnipegTheCommissionTRCFinalReport

 IgenerallyusethetermIndigenouspeoplestorefertoallpeopleswhodescend

fromtheoriginalinhabitantsoftheselandsasthisisthetermgainingprominence

internationallytorefertorstpeoplesItissynonymouswiththetermAboriginal

peopleswhichwastheterminologyusedbyReportoftheRoyalCommission

NM

younowareandwhereyouhavebeenisextremelyhelpfulinguring

outhowtogettoyourdestinationThereforemysmallcontributionto

this collection is to aempt to take stock of where we have been and

whereweareinthehopesoffacilitatingbeerdialogueonwherewe

shouldbegoing

B.IN THE ERA OF RENEWAL AND

RENEGOTIATION

According to the  Report of the Royal Commission on Aborig

inalPeoplesRCAPwearecurrentlyintheeraofRenewalandRe

negotiationInitscomprehensivereviewoftherelationshipbetween

AboriginalpeopleandtheCanadiangovernmentRCAPaemptedto

describe the changes i n this relationship by organi zing eras of time

bymajorthemesFoureraswereidentiedThersteracalledSep

arateWorldsreferencedtheprecontactperiodwhenforthousands

ofyearsIndigenouspeopleslivedonthiscontinentasftytoseventy

distinct nations wit h their own traditions cultures lang uagesa nd

legal systems For their part Europeans lived on their own conti n

entmadeupofdierentnationswiththeirowntraditionscultures

languagesandlegalsystemsFollowingcontactRCAPcharacterizes

thenexttwohundredyearsastheeraofNationtoNationrelations

fromtomidsThiscancomeasasurprisetosomepeople

whomayhavebelievedthatuponarrivalEuropeansimmediatelyset

uponacourseofaemptingtoconquertheIndigenouspeoplesof

these landsOnthecontrarythethemesanimatingthisperiodin

onAboriginalPeoplesRCAPinseebelownoteandisalsothetermused

insoftheConstitutionActanddenedtoincludetheIndianInuitand

MétispeoplesofCanadasThetermFirstNationsisnowcommonlyused

insteadofIndianhoweverthelaertermisstillinusegiventhecontinued

existenceoftheIn dian ActWhenreferringtoRCAPortheConstitution ActIuse

AboriginalandIndigenouspeoplesinterchangeably

 SeeRoyalCommissiononAboriginalPeoplesR eport of the Royal Commission on

Aboriginal PeoplesvolOawaTheCommissionchRCAPReport

 Ibidvolch

 AsnotedbyChiefJusticeMcLachlinfortheSupremeCourtofCanadainHaida

Nation v British Columbia (Minister of Forests)SCCatparaPutsimply

CanadasAboriginalpeopleswereherewhenEuropeanscameandwerenever

conqueredManybandsreconciledtheirclaimswiththesovereigntyoftheCrown

throughnegotiatedtreatiesOthersnotablyinBritishColumbiahaveyettodoso

ThehonouroftheCrownrequiresthattheserightsbedeterminedrecognizedand

respected