Monthly Indigenous Newsletter
Hello/ Aniin
While I was researching for May I realized that there was some over lap with June. I’m combining the into one newsletter. This is First Nation Status card and the Indian Act.
Status cards show what tribe the person belongs too. A registration number and the tribe registration number. It says that the person is legally registered under the Indian Act. The card allow you to receive benefits such as education, some taxes exemption and non insured health service. Now the Indian Act determines if a person could retain their First Nation Status or lose it.
In the early years the act was used to control First Nation. Until the 1960’s First Nation could vote in elections. In 1951 the pass system that allowed First Nation to leave the reserve was repealed under the Indian Act. Women who married non native men lost their status and any land claims in their family. This stipulation was reversed in 1982. In 1927 under the act, no first nation community could sue the government over the act without the governments permission. If a First Nation persons wanted to get a university degree, they would lose their native status. Certain ceremony and tradition were forbidden under the act. In the 1980’s the government has looked at getting rid of the act. First Nation communities said no unless they have something to replace it with since something is better then nothing.
The Indian Act is the primary laws for Indian status, local First Nations governments and the management of reserve land as well as governmental obligations to First Nations peoples. All of this is a brief summary so I didn’t end up writing an essay. Old laws of the Indian act are very jagging to read about how people were treated. If you are interested there are many resource that can be found in the act it’s self or summaries through various website.