IS-1017 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Indian Act, Dennis Patterson, Inuinnaqtun
11 Oct 2018
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THE INUIT
• CANADIAN POLICY ON INUIT
• Between 1867 and 1924 the Inuit were generally categorized as
"Indians" but did not fall under the general application of the
"Indian Act."
• Between 1924 and 1930 the Inuit were formally designated as
"Indians" and administered under the "Indian Act."
• In 1930 the "Indian Act" was amended to exclude the Inuit.
• The 1939 SCC decision Re Eskimos (1939) S.C.R. 104 reiterated that
the Inuit were indeed "Indians" under the "Indian Act."
• The 1951 revisions of the "Indian Act" formally excluded the Inuit.
• BUREAUCRATIC ADMINISTRATION
• Reduce costs of administration through consolidation
◦ "encourage" Inuit to relocate from small communities to larger
and more easily administered communities.
• 3 driving forces behind the early administrative policies
◦ Heath and "wellbeing"
◦ Business and ventures impacted
◦ Needed bodies to ensure Canadian polar sovereignty
• POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN NUNAVUT
• The Calder case spurred land claims negotiations in the north
• The Inuit Tapirisat Corporation (ITC) developed a proposal to settle the
Inuit claims in what was known as the North West Territories
• Inuit ownership rights (non-renewable resources)
• Inuit decision making powers (lands and resources)
• Inuit financial sustainment (revenue from resources)
• Self-government after finalization of land claim
• NUNAVUT: THE NEW TERRITORY
• On April 1, 1999 the new territory of Nunavut was created.
• 2 million km/s (20% of Canada's land mass)
• Population of 37,000 (83% are Inuit)
• 26 communities (populations range between 130-6699)
• 9 official languages (Cree, Chipewyan, Dogrib, Gwich'inm Inuktitut,
