Analysis Of The Indian Act By Erin Hanson

Erin Hanson’s article “The Indian Act” can be found on the Indigenous foundations section on the University of British Columbia’s website. Hanson’s article highlights what the inspiration and contributing factors were in the making of the Indian act. In the article Hanson argues “while the Indian Act has undergone numerous amendments since it was first passed in 1876, today it largely retains its original form” (Hanson 2009).

The Indian act was passed in 1876, however this was after the Gradual Civilization Act of 1857. The Gradual Civilization Act encouraged the Indian people to assimilate into the Canadian society by “encouraging enfranchisement” (Hanson, 2009). However this was a failure since it is said that only one person voluntarily enfranchised. The Indian Act created a “homogenizing and paternalistic relationship” (Hanson, 2009) between the aboriginal people and Canada. In short, the Canadian government saw the aboriginal people as savage and un-civilized so they sought to control the rights of the aboriginal people. The quote by John A Macdonald in Hanson’s article demonstrates how “the great aim of our [the] legislation has been to do away with the tribal system and assimilate the Indian people in all respects with the other inhabitants of the Dominion as speedily as they are fit to change”

The Potlatch Law being the most controversial. The potlatch was a ceremony done by the First Nations in the west to mark important events and share wealth. But in 1884 the government banned potlatches under the Indian Act. In view of the fact, the government as well as non-natives saw potlatches as wasteful and expensive. This was a great loss for the Aboriginal people as it disrupted many of their cultural traditions that revolved around a