Andrea Chang April 2017

MYP Individual and Society Mr. Small

CHC2D-A

Social Movements Historical Investigation

The Relationship between the Canadian Federal Government and Indigenous

Peoples:

As Reflected by the White Paper

Andrea Chang

TMS School

Individual and Society

May 2, 2017

Word Count: 1337

Andrea Chang April 2017
MYP Individual and Society Mr. Small
CHC2D-A
Section 1: Identification and Evaluation of Sources
Research Question: To what extent and in what ways did the
proposal of the White Paper reflect the relationship of Indigenous
peoples and the federal government in the 1970s?

This research question is related to the global context of fairness and development
in that it helps to determine whether or not the White Paper was fair. Additionally, it
investigates the manner in which the relationship between the Indigenous peoples,
and the Canadian federal government developed throughout the 1970s. Further, it
also allows inquiry of the manner in which Indigenous rights developed through this
time period. Lastly, it instigates the question of whether or not it is fair that the
government was able to impose the White Paper on the Indigenous peoples.

Chosen Source: The White Paper, from The Canadian Encyclopedia

The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2017). The White Paper. Retrieved May 2, 2017, from
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-white-paper-1969/

The chosen source is a secondary source article on The White Paper, from the
Canadian Encyclopedia. This is relevant to the investigation as it explains motives
behind the creation of the White Paper, its contents, the response, and its
aftermath. There is no evident bias in this source. Because it is the Canadian
Encyclopedia, it emphasizes Canadas perspectives on major events. However, in an
article about the White Paper, where the two major perspectives are both, arguable,
equally Canadian, both perspectives are brought forth and explained. This article
allows the reader to form their own opinions, as it provides context, background
information, and facts about the White Paper, without specific focus on either side.
Additionally, the Canadian Encyclopedia is managed by Historica Canada, the
largest independent organization devoted to enhancing awareness of Canadian
history and citizenship. It is the largest collection of authored, accurate, and
continuously updated articles focused on Canada. Also, as an online encyclopedia, it
is constantly being updated, and is relevant and relatively reliable.
Andrea Chang April 2017
MYP Individual and Society Mr. Small
CHC2D-A

Section 2: Investigation
The relationship between the Canadian federal government and Indigenous
peoples throughout the 1970s was poor, as a result of many misunderstandings and
differing perspectives and opinions. This was evidenced by the publication of the
Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian Policy, later renamed the White
Paper, by the federal government. The creation of the White Paper was influenced
by the governments ignorance of the need for individual rights for the Indigenous
peoples, and a sense of racial superiority. Lastly, the Red Paper, the response from
the Indigenous peoples, reflected the way that the White Paper was a way to ignore
the needs of the Indigenous. The White Paper reflected the relationship of
Indigenous peoples and the Canadian federal government in the 1970s to a great
extent.

The first way in which the proposal of the White Paper reflected the
relationship of Indigenous peoples and the federal government in the 1970s, was
that it reflected the governments ignorance and misunderstanding of Indigenous
rights and needs, and their special status. Firstly, Trudeau and Chretien, the creators
of the White Paper, thought that policies that pertained to First Nations were
exclusionary and discriminatory, as they did not apply to Canadians in general
(Canadian Encyclopedia, 2017). Additionally, part of the White Paper was to
eliminate Indian as a distinct legal status, making the Indigenous legally equal to
other Canadians (Government of Canada, 2010). This meant that by publishing the
White Paper, the federal government was essentially ignoring the past century of
discrimination against the Indigenous by the Canadian government itself. The fact
that the White Paper attempted to abolish previous legal documents, including the
1876 Indian Act (Government of Canada, 2010), proves that they were ignorant of
the need for the Indian Act and a distinct legal status. The very notion that the
White Paper would help free [Indians] to develop cultures (Government of Canada,
2010), was contradictory in that the manner in which the government was doing
this was through complete assimilation. In sum, this lack of understanding was
reflected though the White Paper, which in turn heightened tension between the
Indigenous and the federal government.

Further, there were deep rooted feelings of racial superiority in the 1970s in
the Canadian federal government. For example, after the White Paper was
ultimately rejected in 1970, Trudeau famously responded, Well keep them in the
ghetto as long as they want. (Canadian Encyclopedia, 2017). This response reflects
the manner in which the federal government saw the Indigenous, as it is evident
that he felt as if the federal government was doing the Indigenous a favour by
implementing the White Paper, and that he felt disrespected by the backlash.
Additionally, the fact that the White Paper was used as a way to assimilate the
Andrea Chang April 2017
MYP Individual and Society Mr. Small
CHC2D-A
Indigenous, demonstrates racial superiority. It is implied that Indigenous life would
be better, if they were fully integrated into European Canadian culture. This evident
racial superiority only damaged the relationship between the Indigenous and the
federal government in the 1970s further.

Finally, the response of the National Indian Brotherhood to the White Paper
reflected the way that the Indigenous felt towards the government. They released
the Red Paper, also known as Citizens Plus, in 1970, order to counter the White
Paper. The Red Paper defended the various treaty rights that the Indigenous had
signed with the Crown throughout the 1800s (Government of Canada, 2010). They
felt that the document overlooked Indigenous concerns, and was a final attempt to
assimilate Indigenous peoples into the Canadian population (Canadian
Encyclopedia, 2017). Additionally, the National Indian Brotherhood felt that the
federal government was using the White Paper relieve itself from historical promises
and responsibilities, instead forcing Indigenous relation issues onto provincial
governments, with whom the Indigenous had no prior relationship with (Active
History, 2015). If the treaties were terminated, it would have meant that the federal
government would have no more legal responsibility to the Indigenous. It was
stressed in the Red Paper that treaties were the fundamental source of
governance (Active History, 2015), for the Indigenous, and that assimilation was
unfair. The right for Indigenous peoples to self-govern was overlooked completely in
the White Paper, by its recommendation to abolish the Indian Act and other
Indigenous treaties (Government of Canada, 2010). In sum, the fact that Red Paper
was necessary to protect Indigenous rights, is a clear representation of the poor
relationship between the federal government and the Indigenous.

In conclusion, the White Paper reflected the relationship between the

Canadian federal government and the Indigenous peoples in the 1970s to a great
extent. The federal government clearly felt as though, even after residential schools
and other methods of assimilation, the White Paper would be an appropriate last
step to assimilate the Indigenous completely. In response however, the Indigenous
felt as though their special status was being unfairly revoked, and that the federal
government was overlooking their concerns. Although these papers were passed
close to fifty years ago, they are still historically relevant today. The consequences
of these two papers are still not resolved today. Additionally, the relationship
between the Indigenous and the federal government has been healing, but there
are still many disagreements and much tension between the two groups of people.
Lastly, Indigenous treaties are still in place today, and significant to the relationship
between the government and the Indigenous.
Andrea Chang April 2017
MYP Individual and Society Mr. Small
CHC2D-A

Section 3: Reflection
Chosen Reflection Questions:

1. What are the challenges facing the historian? How do they

differ from the challenges facing a scientist or a
mathematician?
2. What is the difference between bias and selection?

The biggest challenge facing a historian is having to distinguish between biased and
unbiased accounts of historical events. This challenge differs from those faced in
science and math, because in these subject areas, it is easy to distinguish between
fact and fiction. For example, with the topics of the White Paper and Red Paper, I
found differing information about the extent of both the fairness and unfairness of
each paper. I had to use a large variety of sources, to determine which facts should
and shouldnt be trusted, because the investigation was done on a very
controversial topic, with two opposing opinions. Further, it is important to
distinguish between bias and selection. Bias is clear prejudice in favour or against a
topic, through a one-sided argument, lacking a neutral viewpoint. However,
selection is the decision to only utilize facts and arguments in favour of one side.
For example, some sources that I used in this historical investigation were clearly
biased in favour of the Indigenous, in that they used vocabulary to comment
negatively on the federal government, and positively on the Indigenous. However,
some sources merely selected unfair excerpts of the White Paper. Sources are
generally more reliable if they are selective rather than biased, as selective sources
hold accurate information, albeit limited, while biased sources influence the readers
perspective and opinions unfairly.
Andrea Chang April 2017
MYP Individual and Society Mr. Small
CHC2D-A

References:
Active History. (2015). The Contemporary Relevance of the Historical Treaties to
Treaty Indian Peoples. Retrieved May 2, 2017, from
http://activehistory.ca/papers/the-contemporary-relevance-of-the-historical-treaties-
to-treaty-indian-peoples/

Canadas Human Rights History. (2017). 1969 White Paper on Indian Policy.
Retrieved May 2, 2017 from http://historyofrights.ca/encyclopaedia/main-
events/1969-white-paper-indian-policy/

Government of Canada. (2010). Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian

Policy (The White Paper, 1969). Retrieved May 2, 2017, from http://www.aadnc-
aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100010189/1100100010191

National Post. (2012). Assimilation is Not the Answer to the Aboriginal Problem.
Retrieved May 2, 2017, from http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/chelsea-
vowel-assimilation-is-not-the-answer-to-the-aboriginal-problem

The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2017). The White Paper. Retrieved May 2, 2017, from
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-white-paper-1969/

Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples. (2014). 1969 White Paper- Rejected by
Liberal Party of Canada. Retrieved May 2, 2017, from
https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/1969-white-paper-indian-policy-rejected-liberal-party-
canada