The Indian Act and other legislation related to the Aboriginal people in Canada

The Proclamation is a foundational document in establishing the core elements of the relationship between First Nation people and people of non-American origin, recognizing First Nation rights in Canada and defining the treaty-making process that is still used today.

This statute was the first to introduce the concept of enfranchisement or the process by which Aboriginals lost their Indian status and became full British subjects. Any First Nations male who was free of debt, literate and of good moral character could be awarded full ownership (owned but not to be sold) of 59 acres of land.

1885: Prohibition of several traditional Aboriginal ceremonies, such as potlaches.
1894: Removal of band control over non-Aboriginals living on reserves. This power was transferred to the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs.
1905: Power to remove Aboriginal peoples from reserves near towns with more than 8,000 people.
1911: Power to expropriate portions of reserves for roads, railways and other public works, as well as to move an entire reserve away from a municipality if it was deemed expedient.
1914: Requirement that western Aboriginals seek official permission before appearing in Aboriginal “costume” in any public dance, show, exhibition, stampede or pageant.
1918: Power to lease out uncultivated reserve lands to non-Aboriginals if the new leaseholder would use it for farming or pasture.
1927: Prohibition of anyone (Aboriginal or otherwise) from soliciting funds for Aboriginal legal claims without special licence from the Superintendent General. This amendment granted the government control over the ability of Aboriginals to pursue land claims.
1930: Prohibition of pool hall owners from allowing entrance of an Aboriginal who “by inordinate frequenting of a pool room either on or off an Indian reserve misspends or wastes his time or means to the detriment of himself, his family or household.”

Provisions to this act in 1894 provided for compulsory school attendance of First Nations children. Industrial schools ran from 1883-1923. After 1923 these schools became known as “residential schools.” Part of the federal government assimilation policy focused on eliminating First Nations children’s cultural beliefs and practices. First Nations parents were fined or jailed if they did not send their children to residential schools.