Pros And Cons Of The Indian Act Of 1876

The Indian Act of 1876 was designed to control the First Nations people. Major highlights of how this Act unfolded included the First Nations people to sign specific agreements which were commonly known as “The Numbered Treaties”. Children of First Nations’ families were kidnapped and put in residential schools and were forced to learn a new language and to practice a new religion. Later on, the Canadian Government changed the Indian Act to ban traditions and celebrations such as the potlatch. It is without a doubt that the Indian Act should be revised, because they should’ve treated the First Nations’ with respect, they should have kept their promise to the Natives and should’ve also not taken the advantage of the First Nations’ knowledge
“From 1871 to 1877, seven Numbered Treaties were signed between the Canadian Government and the First Nations people who lived between Lake Superior and the Rocky Mountains” (Arnold 2000, p.207). These treaties were often considered unfair and were not executed by the Canadian Government. The First Nations people received promises from the government that they would have access to natural resources. However, that promise was not kept (Arnold 2000, p. 208). They were also permitted a promise that they could have hunting, fishing, and mineral rights from the Canadian government. Once treaties were signed, settlers began to move across Canada to occupy the lands where the First Nations people had lived (Arnold, 2000, p.207). In the end, the Canadian government should’ve kept their promise to the First Nations people and should have not taken advantage of them because of the fact which they did not understand what was implied in the
The children were taken away to these schools for most of the year (Arnold, 2000, p.209). The people who took them away (often Indian agents assigned to the school) were luring the children into doing a fun activity However, in reality, they were being kidnapped. When the children were studying, the books which they used referred to First Nations people as savages (Arnold, 2000 p. 209). The books also taught the children that the beliefs of non- Aboriginals were better than the beliefs of any other society. The children were often beaten badly if they misconducted themselves or if they spoke their native languages (Pittman, 1989). In 2008, the Canadian government issued a statement of apology to the First Nations people of Canada. This is a first step in preventing any more harassment to the First Nations people and to provide a better quality of life, for not just the First Nations people, but for all