Social 9 - Unit 4: Collective Rights Vocabulary

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, including First Nations, Metis and Inuit; and Francophones and Anglophones.

First Nations

The umbrella name for the diverse Aboriginal peoples who have collective rights that are recognized and protected in Canada's constitution. The constitution refers to First Nations as "Indians." in keepings with the name used at the time of negotiating Treaties.

Indian

Europeans used this word to describe the First Nations of North America, although these peoples were diverse and had names for themselves. Many First Nations prefer not to use the word to describe themselves.

Sovereignty

Independence as people, with a right to self-government

Annuity

An annual payment

Reserve

Land for the exclusive use of First Nations

Entrenching

Fixing firmly within

Patriate

To bring to a country something that belongs to the country

Indian Act

Federal legislation related to the rights and status of First Nations peoples ("status Indians"), first passed in 1876 and amended several times

Ethnocentrism

The belief that one's culture is superior to all other cultures.

Assimilate

Become part of a different cultural group

Anglophone

A person whose first language is English

Francophone

A person whose first language is French

Official language community

One of the groups in Canadian society whose members speak an official language of Canada - French or English - as their first language

Official language minority

A group that speaks one of Canada's official languages, and does not make up the majority of population of a province or territory.

Publicly funded

Paid for by taxes and provided by 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 the Metis at the time the Numbered Treaties were negotiated

Autonomy

Authority to make decisions