Vocabulary - Chapter 4: Canadian Collective Rights

Affirm

to validate and express commitment to something

collective identity

the shared identity of a group of people, especially because of a common language and culture

collective rights

rights guaranteed to specific groups in Canadian society for historical and constitutional reasons. These groups are: aboriginal peoples (FN), Metis, Inuit, Francophone and Anglophone.

First Nations

The umbrella name for the diverse Aboriginal peoples who have collective rights that are recognized + protected in Canada’s constitution. The constitution refers to these people as “Indians” in keeping with the name used at the time of negotiating Treaties.

Sovereignty

Independence as a people, with a right to self government

Annuity

An annual payment. Under the Numbered treaties, these are mostly symbolic today. For example, the members of Treaty 8 each receive $5.00 per year.

reserve

land for the exclusive use of FN

Assimilate

become part of a different cultural group

Ethnocentrism

the belief that one’s culture is superior to all other cultures.

Indian Act

federal legislation related to the rights and status of FN peoples (“status Indians”) first passed in 1876 and amended several times

Anglophone

a person whose 1st language is English

Francophone

a person whose 1st language is French

Official language community

1 of the groups in Canadian society whose members speak an official language of Canada as their first language

Official language minority

a group that speaks an official language of Canada that does not make up the majority population of a province/territory

Publicly funded

paid for by taxes provided by the government

Inherent rights

rights with origins in fundamental justice

scrip

in Metis history, a document that could be exchanged for land and that was offered to the Metis at the time the Numbered Treaties were negotiated

Autonomy

authority to make decisions