Development and Canada's Last Frontiers

Publisher:  National Indian Brotherhood, Ottawa, Canada
Year Published:  1978
Pages:  30   Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX874

This publication is in the form of a brief review of the exploitation by whites of the lands occupied by the Indians and Inuit.

Abstract: 
This publication is in the form of a brief review of the exploitation by whites of the lands occupied by the Indians and Inuit. The author recalls Diefenbaker's message of his 1958 federal election campaign. According to Diefenbaker a "new Canada" was to emerge with the development of the northern frontiers, making for hundreds of thousands of jobs for Canadians. This, claims the author, set the stage for the abuse of native peoples' rights in the 70's. It is not the native people resist change in the name of development but they definitely oppose control from outside. Native people are calling for local political control of resource exploitation; further, they are demanding access to profits and input into resource investment.

To illustrate the inequity regarding the land deals, the author describes the James Bay model in which native lands are divided into three categories. Category I lands are those in which communities are governed like other municipalities in Canada. Category II lands allow native people special hunting and fishing rights, but not total mineral rights. In the remaining Category III lands, native peoples "can hunt, trap and fish along with everyone else, but political authority rests solely in the hands of federal or provincial governments.

Mr. Tataryn is not optimistic about the future of Canada's hinterland, as he says, "Plus ca change, plus les choses sont les memes."