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content: THE INDIAN NATIONS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S VIEW ON THE CONSTITUTION I n O c t o b e r 1980, G e o r g e M a n u e l , Grand C h i e f , B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a I n d i a n C h i e f s sounded t h e a l a r m f o r t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n t h e P r o v i n c e o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a . T r u d e a u ' s C o n s t i t u t i o n a l R e s o l u t i o n p o s e d a t h r e a t t o t h e s u r v i v a l o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The l e a d e r a r t i c u l a t e d t h a t t h e i s s u e was "beyond c o n s u l t a t i o n , beyond a d m i n i s t r a t i v e b a t t l e s w i t h Government, beyond p e t t y p o l i t i c s and was h i t t i n g t o t h e v e r y r o o t o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . " I The P o s i t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s C o n c e r n i n g t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n Over 100 B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a I n d i a n C h i e f s i n A s s e m b l y , November 1980 s t a t e d t h e i r f i r m p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e y must p a r t i c - i p a t e i n a b r o a d c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r e v i e w : " I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n Canada were n e v e r c o n q u e r e d . E u r o p - ean t r a d e r s , and i n l a t e r y e a r s , s e t t l e r s , were made welcome i n a l a n d and e n v i r o n m e n t w h i c h was a l i e n t o them. T h r o u g h o u t y e a r s o f E u r o p e a n s e t t l e m e n t and e x - p a n s i o n , I n d i a n N a t i o n s s o u g h t a m u t u a l a c c o m o d a t i o n , one t h a t w o u l d p e r m i t a b o u n t i f u l l a n d t o be s h a r e d t o t h e b e n e f i t o f a l l . I n d i a n r i g h t s t o l a n d , r e s o u r c e s , c u l t u r e , l a n g u a g e , a l i v e l i h o o d and s e l f g o v e r n m e n t a r e n o t s o m e t h i n g c o n - f e r r e d b y t r e a t i e s o r o f f e r e d t o I n d i a n s as c o n c e s s i o n s by a b e n e f i c e n t g o v e r n m e n t . These a r e t h e r i g h t s w h i c h I n d i a n N a t i o n s e n j o y f r o m t i m e i m m e m o r i a l . THESE RIGHTS ARE PREEXISTING AND INVIOLABLE. A CANADIAN CON- STITUTION CAN ACCOMODATE INDIAN RIGHTS - IT CANNOT DIMINISH, ALTER OR ELIMINATE THEM. I n d i a n N a t i o n s u n d e r s t a n d t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n t o be a p a c t among f o u n d i n g p e o p l e s , among w h i c h we i n c l u d e o u r s e l v e s . We u n d e r s t a n d o u r s p e c i a l c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r e - l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e F e d e r a l Government t o be i n t h e n a t u r e o f a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e f e d e r a t i v e s y s t e m , w h i c h was i n t e n d e d t o p e r m i t us t o s u r v i v e and p r o s p e r as I n d i a n N a t i o n s , w h i l e c o n t r i b u t i n g t o Canada's t o t a l d e v e l o p m e n t . UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS RESOURCE CENTRE - 2 - ...a new c o n s t i t u t i o n c a n have two a l t e r n a t i v e r e s u l t s i n s o f a r a s I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e c o n c e r n e d . I t c a n have t h e e f f e c t o f e n t r e n c h i n g p o v e r t y , d e p e n d e n c y , and a l i e n a t i o n ; o r i t c a n r e - o p e n avenues t o I n d i a n d e v - e l o p m e n t i n t e r m s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h r i g h t s r e c o g n i z e d and a f f i r m e d i n a l l p r e v i o u s t r a n s a c t i o n s w i t h t h e Crown... . . . e x c l u s i o n o f I n d i a n p a r t i c i p a t i o n f r o m a b r o a d c o n s - t i t u t i o n a l r e v i e w must b e , o f n e c e s s i t y , t h e f i r s t m i s - t a k e w h i c h F e d e r a l a u t h o r i t i e s have t o c o r r e c t . U n t i l t h i s i s d o n e , I n d i a n N a t i o n s r e j e c t t h e p r o p o s e d F e d e r a l R e s o l u t i o n i n t o t a l a s a h o s t i l e and a g g r e s s i v e measure and a r e p r e p a r e d t o employ a l l means t o r e s i s t i t s i m p l e m e n t a t i o n . " I n d i a n N a t i o n s : D e t e r m i n a t i o n o r T e r m i n a t i o n : P o s i t i o n P a p e r a d o p t e d by t h e U n i o n o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a I n d i a n C h i e f s i n Assem- b l y , O c t o b e r 1980 The 1980 S t a t e m e n t r e f l e c t s a p o s i t i o n o f u n i t y among a l l I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n Canada w h i c h r e m a i n e d c o n s i s t e n t t h r o u g h o u t the C o n s t i t u t i o n a l d e b a t e . F i r s t , f u l l p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n C o n s t i t u t i o n a l r e n e w a l was e s s e n t i a l . The I n d i a n N a t i o n s s o u g h t t o be r e p r e s e n t e d b y I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t s a t the t i m e and p l a c e where l e g i s l a t i v e j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r p e o p l e s and l a n d s i n Canada were b e i n g d i v i d e d f o r a t l e a s t t h e n e x t 100 y e a r s . The I n d i a n N a t i o n s would n o t a l l o w t h e i r i n t e r e s t s t o be r e p r e s e n t e d by t h e F e d e r a l o r P r o v i n c i a l G o v e r n m e n t s b e c a u s e i t was n e v e r t h r o u g h t h o s e A s s e m b l i e s t h a t t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s e x e r c i s e d t h e i r p o l i t i c a l w i l l . S e c o n d , t h e f u n d a m e n t a l c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l a w o f t h e l a n d must e n t r e n c h I n d i a n r i g h t s . The I n d i a n N a t i o n s p e r c e i v e d t h a t i t was c r u c i a l t h a t c l a u s e s p r o t e c t i n g a b o r i g i n a l and t r e a t y r i g h t s were t o be beyond t h e c o n t r o l o f t h e F e d e r a l o r P r o v i n c i a l G o v e r n m e n t s t o change o r r e p e a l . S h o r t o f t h a t p r o t e c t i o n , t h e r i g h t s o f t h e I n d i a n c h i l d r e n y e t u n b o r n would be v u l n e r a b l e t o t h e l e g i s l a t i v e w i l l - 3 - o f p o t e n t i a l l y h o s t i l e G o v e r n m e n t s e x e r c i s i n g an agenda i n c o n s i s - t e n t w i t h t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f I n d i a n r i g h t s . I I The P o s i t i o n o f t h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t on t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n In a c o n f i d e n t i a l document p r e p a r e d a f t e r O c t o b e r 1980, e n t i t l e d " B r i e f i n g M a t e r i a l on C a n a d a ' a N a t i v e P e o p l e s and t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n " the F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t ' s p o s i t i o n t o w a r d s t h e o b j e c t i v e s o f the I n d i a n N a t i o n s and the C o n s t i t u t i o n was u n a m b i g u o u s l y s e t o u t : "There i s l i k e l y t o be a m a j o r e f f o r t by C a n a d a ' s N a t i v e P e o p l e s t o w i n n a t i o n a l and i n t e r n a t i o n a l s u p p o r t ( e s p e c i a l l y a t W e s t m i n i s t e r ) f o r t h e i r s t a n d a g a i n s t p a t r i a t i o n . I f t h e N a t i v e P e o p l e s p r e s s f o r w a r d w i t h t h e i r p l a n s and i f t h e y s u c c e e d i n g a i n i n g s u p p o r t and sympathy a b r o a d , Canada's image w i l l s u f f e r c o n s i d e r a b l y . B e c a u s e C a n a d a ' s N a t i v e P e o p l e s l i v e , as a r u l e , i n c o n d i t i o n s w h i c h a r e v e r y d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h o s e o f most o t h e r C a n a d i a n s - as sample s t a t i s t i c s s e t o u t b e l o w a t t e s t - t h e r e w o u l d be s e r i o u s q u e s t i o n s asked about w h e t h e r t h e N a t i v e P e o p l e s e n j o y b a s i c r i g h t s i n Canada: - I n d i a n s have a l i f e e x p e c t a n c y t e n y e a r s l e s s t h a n the C a n a d i a n a v e r a g e ; I n d i a n s e x p e r i e n c e v i o l e n t d e a t h s a t more t h a n t h r e e t i m e s t h e n a t i o n a l a v e r a g e ; - a p p r o x i m a t e l y 60% o f I n d i a n s i n Canada r e c e i v e s o c i a l a s s i s t a n c e ; - o n l y 32% o f w o r k i n g - a g e I n d i a n s a r e e m p l o y e d ; l e s s t h a n 50% o f I n d i a n homes a r e p r o p e r l y s e r v i c e d ; - i n Canada as a w h o l e the p r i s o n p o p u l a t i o n i s about 9% N a t i v e , y e t N a t i v e p e o p l e s make up - 4 - o n l y 3% o f C a n a d a ' s p o p u l a t i o n . I n 1977, t h e r e were 280 I n d i a n s i n j a i l p e r 100,000 p o p u l a t i o n , compared t o 40 o f t h e n a t i o n a l a v e r a g e . " The s t r a t e g y o f t h e F e d e r a l Government was made c l e a r , namely t o promote f o r m a l d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s a f t e r p a t r i a t i o n , k n o w i n g f u l l w e l l t h a t t o do so w o u l d p r e c l u d e an e f f e c t i v e s e t t l i n g o f t h e i s s u e s . The o f f e r o f p o s t - p a t r i a t i o n d i s c u s s i o n w o u l d be used as t h e r e a s o n why c o n s t i t u t i o n a l p a r t i c i p a t i o n was u n n e c e s s a r y . " N a t i v e l e a d e r s r e a l i z e t h a t e n t r e n c h i n g t h e i r r i g h t s w i l l be e n o r m o u s l y d i f f i c u l t a f t e r p a t r i a t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e a m a j o r i t y o f t h e p r o v i n c e s w o u l d have t o a g r e e t o c h a n g e s w h i c h m i g h t b e n e f i t N a t i v e P e o p l e s a t t h e e x p e n s e o f t h e p r o v i n c i a l power. They t h e r e f o r e demand an e n t r e n c h m e n t o f N a t i v e r i g h t s b e f o r e p a t r i a t i o n . " On t h e q u e s t i o n o f e n t r e n c h i n g r i g h t s i n t h e C h a r t e r o f R i g h t s t h e document had t h i s t o s a y : " C o n s t i t u t i o n a l i z i n g t r e a t y r i g h t s , f o r e x a m p l e , w h i c h many I n d i a n l e a d e r s have c a l l e d f o r , begs t h e q u e s t i o n o f how t r e a t y r i g h t s s h o u l d be i n t e r p r e t e d . A d d i t i o n - a l l y t o c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e t r e a t y r i g h t s does n o t h i n g f o r t h e v a s t m a j o r i t y o f N a t i v e p e o p l e s i n Canada, who e i t h e r have n e v e r been p a r t y t o t r e a t i e s o r who have e x c l u d e d t h e m s e l v e s f r o m t h e g r o u p s w h i c h d i d s i g n t r e a t i e s . " In summary, f r o m t h e Government's v i e w t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s were t o have no d i r e c t p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r e n e w a l . R a t h e r , d i s c u s s i o n w i t h t h e l e a d e r s was t o be l e f t t o a p o s t - p a t r i a t i o n c l i m a t e where I n d i a n N a t i o n s f a c e d t e n P r o v i n c i a l - 5 - G o v e r n m e n t s and a F e d e r a l Government j e a l o u s l y g u a r d i n g t h e i r n e w l y d i v i d e d j u r i s d i c t i o n . On t h e q u e s t i o n o f e n t r e n c h m e n t , t h e Government w o u l d e n t r e n c h o n l y t h o s e r i g h t s w h i c h t h e y were p o l i t i c a l l y f o r c e d t o do; and t h e y were p r e p a r e d t o p r e c l u d e I n d i a n r i g h t s g e n e r a l l y . T h i s f a c t was d e m o n s t r a t e d by t h e c o n t e n t s o f s u c c e s s i v e d r a f t s o f t h e Canada B i l l and t h e C h a r t e r o f R i g h t s w h e r e , f r o m d r a f t t o d r a f t , t h e c l a u s e s a f e g u a r d i n g a b o r i g i n a l and t r e a t y r i g h t s a p p e a r e d and d i s a p p e a r e d . The most d r a m a t i c g e s t u r e was i n November 1981, when t h e F e d e r a l Government a g r e e d t o remove t h e a b o r i g i n a l and t r e a t y c l a u s e i n e x c h a n g e f o r a b r o a d e r P r o v i n c i a l a c c o r d . III The S o u r c e o f t h e D i f f e r e n c e s o f P o s i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s and t h e G o v e r n m e n t on t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n A t t h e r o o t o f t h e d i f f e r e n t p o s i t i o n s between t h e Government and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s i s a f u n d a m e n t a l d i s a g r e e m e n t a b o u t t h e n a t u r e o f I n d i a n s o v e r e i g n t y . F o r t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e d i s c u s s i o n , s o v e r e i g n t y i s d e f i n e d as t h e i n h e r e n t r i g h t o f d i s t i n c t P e o p l e s t o g o v e r n t h e i r P e o p l e and c o n t r o l t h e i r l a n d t h r o u g h p o l i t i c a l i n s t i t u t i o n s o f t h e i r c h o o s i n g . (a) The G o v e r n m e n t ' s V i e w The G o v e r n m e n t ' s g o a l has been t o assume t h e s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s u n t i l t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e b r o u g h t f u l l y u n d e r t h e d o m i n a t i o n o f t h e L e g i s l a t i v e A s s e m b l i e s - 6 - o f Canada. T h i s g o a l i s s t a t e d i n government I n d i a n P o l i c y w h i c h , on t h i s p o i n t , has r e m a i n e d c o n s i s t e n t f o r o v e r one h u n d r e d y e a r s . T h i s can be i l l u s t r a t e d by way o f r e f e r e n c e t o two g o v e r n m e n t p o l i c i e s , one p r e s e n t e d i n 1947 and a n o t h e r i n 1 969. I n 1947 A P l a n f o r L i q u i d a t i n g Canada's I n d i a n P r o b l e m w i t h i n 25 Y e a r s was p r e s e n t e d t o the P a r l i a m e n t a r y J o i n t C o m m i t t e e . The o b j e c t i v e was: "To a b o l i s h , g r a d u a l l y b u t r a p i d l y , the s e p a r a t e p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l s t a t u s o f the I n d i a n s (and E s k i m o s ) ; t o e n f r a n c h i s e them and merge them i n t o the r e s t o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n on t h e e q u a l f o o t i n g . The r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h i s p l a n s h o u l d : A) i m p r o v e t h e I n d i a n s ' s o c i a l and e c o n o m i c p o s i t i o n , now so d e p r e s s e d as t o c r e a t e " l e p r o u s " s p o t s i n many p a r t s o f t h e c o u n t r y ; B) a b o l i s h t h e p e r m a n e n t d r a i n on the f e d e r a l t r e a s u r y o f t h e m i l l i o n s o f d o l l a r s y e a r l y now s p e n t on I n d i a n a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ; C) f u l f i l l the a l m o s t f o r g o t t e n p l e d g e o f t h e government when i t a d o p t e d the s y s t e m o f c o n f i n i n g the I n d i a n s t o s p e c i a l r e s e r v e s . The p l a n c o n t e m p l a t e d the a p p o i n t m e n t o f a c o m m i s s i o n t o " s t u d y t h e v a r i o u s I n d i a n r e s e r v a t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e D o m i n i o n and t o a d v i s e on t h e b e s t means o f a b o l i s h i n g them, o f e n f r a n c h i s i n g the i n h a b i t a n t s . " In 1 969 Mr. T r u d e a u and Mr. C h r e t i e n f o r m u l a t e d the W h i t e P a p e r P o l i c y . The P o l i c y c a l l e d f o r the e l i m i n a t i o n o f I n d i a n s and I n d i a n l a n d s . The m a i n f e a t u r e s were as f o l l o w s : (a) The C o n s t i t u t i o n w o u l d be amended, e l i m i n a t i n g a l l r e f e r e n c e s t o I n d i a n s ; - 7 - (b) The I n d i a n A c t , w h i c h g u a r a n t e e s a number o f s p e c i f i c r i g h t s , w o u l d be r e p e a l e d ; ( c ) The D e p a r t m e n t o f I n d i a n A f f a i r s and i t s s p e c i a l b u d g e t a r y a p p r o p r i a t i o n s f o r I n d i a n s would d i s a p p e a r ; (d) I n d i a n R e s e r v e s w o u l d l o s e t h e i r p r o t e c t e d s t a t u s ; (e) F u l l j u r i s d i c t i o n a l p o w e r s o v e r I n d i a n s w o u l d be t r a n s - f e r r e d t o t h e P r o v i n c e s . I n a s p e e c h made by Mr. T r u d e a u r e g a r d i n g a b o r i g i n a l and t r e a t y r i g h t s i n 1969, he t r i e d t o r a t i o n a l i z e t h e a p p r o a c h . " I t ' s i n c o n c e i v a b l e , I t h i n k , t h a t i n a g i v e n s o c i e t y one s e c t i o n o f t h e s o c i e t y have a t r e a t y w i t h t h e o t h e r s e c t i o n o f t h e s o c i e t y . We must a l l be e q u a l u n d e r the l a w s and we must n o t s i g n t r e a t i e s amongst o u r s e l v e s and many o f t h e s e t r e a t i e s i n d e e d , would have l e s s and l e s s s i g n i f i c a n c e i n the f u t u r e anyhow, b u t t h i n g s t h a t i n t h e p a s t were c o v e r e d by the t r e a t i e s l i k e t h i n g s l i k e so much t w i n e o r so much gun powder and w h i c h h a v e n ' t been p a i d , t h i s must be p a i d . B u t I d o n ' t t h i n k t h a t we s h o u l d e n c o u r a g e the I n d i a n s t o f e e l t h a t t h e i r t r e a t i e s s h o u l d l a s t f o r e v e r w i t h i n C a n a d a so t h a t t h e y be a b l e t o r e c e i v e t h e i r t w i n e o r t h e i r gun powder. They s h o u l d become C a n a d i a n s as a l l o t h e r C a n a d i a n s and i f t h e y a r e p r o s p e r o u s and w e a l t h y and t h e y w i l l be p a y i n g t a x e s f o r the o t h e r C a n a d i a n s who a r e not so p r o s p e r o u s and n o t so w e a l t h y w h e t h e r t h e y be I n d i a n s o r E n g l i s h C a n a d i a n s o r F r e n c h o r M a r i t i m e r s and t h i s i s t h e o n l y b a s i s on w h i c h I see o u r s o c i e t y can d e v e l o p as e q u a l s . But a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s , t h i s r e a l l y means s a y i n g , "We were h e r e b e f o r e y o u , You came and you t o o k t h e l a n d f r o m us and p e r h a p s you c h e a t e d us by g i v i n g us some w o r t h l e s s t h i n g s i n r e t u r n f o r v a s t e x p a n s e s o f l a n d and we want t o r e o p e n t h i s q u e s t i o n . We want you t o p r e s e r v e o u r a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s and t o r e s t o r e them t o us." And o u r a n s w e r - i t may n o t be t h e r i g h t one and may n o t be one w h i c h i s - 8 - a c c e p t e d b u t i t w i l l be up t o a l l o f you p e o p l e t o make y o u r m i n d s up and t o choose f o r o r a g a i n s t i t and t o d i s c u s s w i t h the I n d i a n s - o u r answer i s "NO" T h i s i s a d i f f i c u l t c h o i c e . I t must be a v e r y a g o n i z i n g c h o i c e t o the I n d i a n p e o p l e s b e c a u s e , on one h a n d , t h e y r e a l i z e t h a t i f t h e y come i n t o t h e s o c i e t y as t o t a l c i t i z e n s t h e y w i l l be e q u a l u n d e r t h e law b u t t h e y r i s k l o s i n g c e r t a i n o f t h e i r t r a d i t i o n s , c e r t a i n a s p e c t s o f a c u l t u r e and p e r h a p s e v e n c e r t a i n o f t h e i r b a s i c r i g h t s , and t h i s i s a v e r y d i f f i c u l t c h o i c e f o r them t o make, and I d o n ' t t h i n k we want t o t r y t o f o r c e t h e p a c e on them any more t h a n we f o r c e i t on t h e r e s t o f C a n a d i a n s ; b u t h e r e we a r e a g a i n h e r e i s a c h o i c e w h i c h i s i n o u r m i n d s , w h e t h e r C a n a d i a n s as a w h o l e want t o c o n t i n u e t r e a t i n g t h e I n d i a n p o p u l a t i o n as s o m e t h i n g o u t s i d e a g r o u p o f C a n a d i a n s w i t h w h i c h we have t r e a t i e s , a g r o u p o f C a n a d i a n s who we have as I n d i a n s , many o f them c l a i m , a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s , o r w h e t h e r we w i l l s a y , w e l l , f o r g e t t h e p a s t and b e g i n t o d a y ; and t h i s i s a t r e m e n d o u s l y d i f f i c u l t c h o i c e , b e c a u s e , i f - w e l l one o f t h e t h i n g s the I n d i a n bands o f t e n r e f e r t o a r e t h e i r a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s , and i n o u r p o l i c y , t h e way we p r o p o s e i t , we say we won't r e c o g n i z e a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s . " PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU By 1973 t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s had pushed b a c k Mr. T r u d e a u f r o m i m p l e m e n t i n g the W h i t e P a p e r . The method was c o n c e r t e d p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n and f o r c i n g t h e i s s u e o f a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s t h r o u g h t h e C o u r t s i n the c a s e o f C a l d e r v. The A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l (1973) 4W.W.R. 1. I n s p i t e o f t h e s e t b a c k , t h e T r u d e a u G o v e r n m e n t ' s g o a l r e m a i n e d c o n s t a n t . I t was n o t u n t i l t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n d e b a t e t h a t the p o l i t i c s were r i p e f o r a renewed a p p r o a c h . The Government's r e a l agenda on t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n d e b a t e 1982 t o w a r d s the I n d i a n N a t i o n s was s t a t e d by Mr. C h r e t i a n i n 1969. "The t r a d i t i o n o f f e d e r a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r I n d i a n m a t t e r s i n h i b i t e d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f a p r o p e r r e l a t i o n - s h i p b e t w e e n the P r o v i n c e s and t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e s as c i t i z e n s . - 9 - The u l t i m a t e aim o f r e m o v i n g t h e s p e c i f i c r e f e r e n c e s t o I n d i a n s f r o m t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n may t a k e some t i m e , b u t i t i s a g o a l t o be k e p t c o n s t a n t l y i n v i e w . I n t h e l o n g t e r m , r e m o v a l o f t h e r e f e r e n c e i n t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n w o u l d be n e c e s s a r y t o end the l e g a l d i s t i n c t i o n between I n d i a n s and o t h e r C a n a d i a n s . " MR. JEAN CHRETIEN Why has t h e g o v e r n m e n t been so d e t e r m i n e d i n t h i s g o a l ? The u l t i m a t e o b j e c t i v e i s t h e l e g a l a c q u i s i t i o n o f I n d i a n l a n d and r e s o u r c e s u n d e r I n d i a n c o n t r o l . T h i s p o i n t was i l l u s t r a t e d d u r i n g t h e P i p e l i n e d e b a t e i n 1977. When t h e F e d e r a l Government v o i c e d i t s s u p p o r t f o r the A l c a n P i p e l i n e , t h e q u e s t i o n a r o s e as t o t h e i n t e r f e r e n c e w i t h the d e v e l o p m e n t by I n d i a n s a s s e r t i n g t h e i r c l a i m t o the l a n d . The g o v e r n m e n t ' s i n t e r n a l p o l i c y document o f November 30, 1977, r e v e a l s t h a t I n d i a n t i t l e w o u l d n o t s t a n d i n the way o f d e v e l o p m e n t : "A few t h i n g s a r e c l e a r . The Government o f Canada i s p r e p a r e d t o e x t i n g u i s h n a t i v e l a n d c l a i m s i f n e c e s s a r y by l e g i s l a t i o n t o s u p p o r t i t s i n t e r n a t i o n a l work and commitment..." I f I n d i a n N a t i o n s p o s s e s s a s o v e r e i g n t y w h i c h must be r e s p e c t e d by the G o v e r n m e n t s and i f a b o r i g i n a l and t r e a t y r i g h t s were e n t r e n c h e d so as t o b u r d e n t h e l e g i s l a t i v e c a p a c i t y o f the G o v e r n m e n t s , t h e Government c o u l d be p r e v e n t e d f r o m e x p l o i t a t i o n o f a l l t h e n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s o f the c o u n t r y , as t h e y see f i t . In a n u t s h e l l , t h a t f a c t i s a t t h e r o o t o f the Government's p o s i t i o n on the C o n s t i t u t i o n . In summary, f r o m the G o v e r n m e n t ' s s i d e , t h e I n d i a n - 10 - N a t i o n s must be c o n t a i n e d w i t h i n t h e C a n a d i a n c o n s t i t u t i o n , e i t h e r as a s s i m i l a t e d c i t i z e n s o r as a m i n o r i t y g r o u p whose i n t e r e s t s a r e p r o t e c t e d o r n o t , a c c o r d i n g t o the l e g i s l a t i v e w i l l o f t h e G o v e r n m e n t s ' l e g i s l a t i v e a s s e m b l i e s . S o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s w i l l n o t be t o l e r a t e d . (b) The I n d i a n N a t i o n s ' V i e w The I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e t h e o r i g i n a l P e o p l e s o f t h i s l a n d . T h e r e a r e no I n d i a n s t o r i e s a b o u t c r o s s i n g o v e r a c o l d b r i d g e o r c o m i n g h e r e by b o a t . From t h e I n d i a n s ' v i e w p o i n t , i f t h e r e was a m i g r a t i o n i t o r i g i n a t e d i n Canada and d i d n o t end h e r e . As d i s t i n c t P e o p l e s , I n d i a n N a t i o n s p o s s e s s s o v e r e i g n t y , r e l y i n g as t h e y do on t h e i r a n c e s t o r s ' ways, p a s s e d t o t h i s g e n e r a t i o n as one i n a c h a i n whose r o o t s e x t e n d f r o m a n t i q u i t y t o the f u t u r e . The p o s i t i o n was r e s t a t e d i n 1 980 as t h e C h i e f s a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y u n i t e d on t h i s q u e s t i o n t o f i g h t the p a t r i a t i o n o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n . "At t h e c o n f e r e n c e o f the F i r s t N a t i o n s h e l d i n O t t a w a , November 1980, o u r I n d i a n N a t i o n s u n a n i m o u s l y j o i n e d t o g e t h e r i n f o r m i n g a P r o v i s i o n a l C o u n c i l o f o u r I n d i g e n o u s G o v e r n m e n t s mandated t o f o r m a P r o v i s i o n a l Government. We a r e u n i t e d i n r e s o l u t i o n u n a n i m o u s l y p a s s e d t h a t t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s o f Canada, b o t h t h o s e w h i c h e n t e r e d i n t o T r e a t i e s and t h o s e w h i c h d i d n o t , w i l l s t a n d t o g e t h e r i n common p u r p o s e i n o u r D e c l a r a t i o n w h i c h a s s e r t s t h e s e p r i n c i p l e s a r e i n v i a b l e : "We, t h e O r i g i n a l P e o p l e s o f t h i s Land know t h e C r e a t o r p u t us h e r e . - 11 - The C r e a t o r gave us l a w s t h a t g o v e r n a l l o u r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o l i v e i n harmony w i t h n a t u r e and m a n k i n d . The l a w s o f t h e C r e a t o r d e f i n e d o u r r i g h t s and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . The C r e a t o r gave us o u r s p i r i t u a l b e l i e f s , o u r l a n g u a g e s , o u r c u l t u r e , and a p l a c e on M o t h e r E a r t h w h i c h p r o v i d e d us w i t h a l l o u r n e e d s . We have m a i n t a i n e d o u r f r e e d o m , o u r l a n g u a g e s , and o u r t r a d i t i o n s f r o m t i m e i m m e m o r i a l . We c o n t i n u e t o e x e r c i s e t h e r i g h t s and t o f u l f i l l t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s and o b l i g a t i o n s g i v e n t o us by t h e C r e a t o r f o r t h e l a n d s upon w h i c h we were p l a c e d . The C r e a t o r has g i v e n us t h e r i g h t t o g o v e r n o u r s e l v e s and t h e r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . The r i g h t s and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s g i v e n t o us by t h e C r e a t o r c a n n o t be a l t e r e d o r t a k e n away by any o t h e r N a t i o n s . " PETITION AND B I L L OF PARTICULARS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN INDIAN NATIONS IN CANADA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO RESOLVE OUTSTANDING DIFFERENCES PRIOR TO THE PATRIATION OF THE CANADIAN CONSTITUTION. T h i s P o s i t i o n has r e m a i n e d unchanged s i n c e i t was f o r c e d i n t o a r t i c u l a t i o n by c o l o n i z a t i o n . I t s words echo b a c k t h r o u g h p e t i t i o n s and d e c l a r a t i o n s o f a l l t h e N a t i o n s i n Canada f o r a t l e a s t 100 y e a r s . The o n l y s i g n i f i c a n t r e f i n e m e n t t o t h e p o s i t i o n o f a b s o l u t e s o v e r e i g n t y i n t h e a b s t r a c t i s the a c c o m o d a t i o n p a i d t o the p a r t i c u l a r p o l i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n i n Canada. The I n d i a n N a t i o n s have d e f i n e d a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s t o i n c l u d e a c o - e x i s t e n c e w i t h the - 12 - o t h e r p e o p l e s and g o v e r n m e n t s i n Canada. In 1979 t h e B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s d e f i n e d a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s as f o l l o w s : " A b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s means t h a t we c o l l e c t i v e l y , as I n d i a n P e o p l e , have the r i g h t w i t h i n t h e framework o f t h e C a n a d i a n C o n s t i t u t i o n , t o g o v e r n t h r o u g h o u r own u n i q u e f o r m o f I n d i a n Government (Band C o u n c i l s ) an expanded v e r s i o n o f o u r I n d i a n R e s e r v e l a n d s t h a t has an a d e q u a t e amount o f a s s o c i a t e d r e s o u r c e s and i s l a r g e enough t o p r o v i d e f o r a l l the e s s e n t i a l n e e d s o f a l l o u r p e o p l e , who have been d e f i n e d as o u r c i t i z e n s o r members t h r o u g h o u r I n d i a n Governments." ( e m p h a s i s added) I n summary, i n 1 979, a t a t i m e when the c o n s t i t u t i o n d e b a t e became h e a t e d , a d e f i n i t i o n o f s o v e r e i g n t y was a d v a n c e d w h i c h c o u l d be a c c o m o d a t e d w i t h i n the C a n a d i a n c o n s t i t u t i o n . The I n d i a n s e n v i s i o n e d a t h i r d o r d e r o f Government where j u r i s d i c t i o n t o g o v e r n I n d i a n s and I n d i a n l a n d s r e s i d e d w i t h t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . T h i s l e v e l o f g o v e r n m e n t would c o - e x i s t w i t h t h e P r o v i n c i a l and F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t s so one n a t i o n ' s d e v e l o p m e n t w o u l d n o t t a k e p l a c e a t t h e e x p e n s e o f a n o t h e r . The d e t a i l s o f t h e p o s i t i o n were s e t o u t i n t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s P o s i t i o n P a p e r , 1979 w h i c h has been w i t h the T r u d e a u Government s i n c e November 1979 when i t was u n a n i m o u s l y p a s s e d by t h e N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y o f C h i e f s . To d a t e i t r e m a i n s u n a c k n o w l e d g e d by t h e G o v e r n m e n t . I n s p i t e o f e x h a u s t i v e , b r u t a l and c a l c u l a t e d e f f o r t s on t h e p a r t o f the G o v e r n m e n t t o change the minds o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s on t h i s p o i n t , t h e I n d i a n s have w i t h s t o o d t h e o n s l a u g h t - 13 - and c o n t i n u e t o a s s e r t and e x p e c t t h e i r s o v e r e i g n t y . F o r the I n d i a n N a t i o n s o f B.C. t h i s f a c t has a s p e c i a l s i g n i f i c a n c e b e c a u s e f o r t h e most p a r t , no t r e a t i e s have been c o n c l u d e d i n the P r o v i n c e . The ' d e a l ' o f f e r e d by the Government has been i m p r o v e d o v e r t h e y e a r s b u t t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s o f B.C. h a v e n o t s e t t l e d . The s o l e r e a s o n i s t h a t t h e Government has made i t a c o n d i t i o n o f any s e t t l e m e n t , t h a t the I n d i a n N a t i o n s must s u r r e n d e r t h e i r r i g h t s t o t h e l a n d f o r e v e r i n exchange f o r p r o m i s e s , p r i m a r i l y c a s h . To s u r r e n d e r l a n d i s t o s u r r e n d e r the f u t u r e o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . T h a t c o n d i t i o n c o n t i n u e s t o be u n a c c e p t a b l e . As George M a n u e l , G r a n d C h i e f p u t i t : " I w o u l d r a t h e r p a s s on t o my g r a n d c h i l d r e n the l e g i t a - macy o f t h e s t r u g g l e t h a n t o l e a v e them w i t h a s e t t l e m e n t t h e y c a n ' t l i v e w i t h . " - 1 4 - (a) The U n i q u e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l P o s i t i o n o f the I n d i a n N a t i o n s : The B a s i s o f t h e L e g a l Argument The p a r t i c u l a r l e g a l t o o l w h i c h the I n d i a n N a t i o n s had t o work w i t h i n t h e d e b a t e was t h e i r u n i q u e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l p o s i t i o n . Canada was formed not i n 1867 as Mr. T r u d e a u w o u l d have us b e l i e v e b u t w i t h t h e c o m p a c t s c o n c l u d e d between the Crown and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The f i r s t m a j o r compact was r e f l e c t e d i n t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763. G e o r g e I I I i s s u e d t h i s p r o c l a m a t i o n and f o r m a l i z e d r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n t h e Crown and the I n d i a n N a t i o n s on t e r m s w h i c h w o u l d s a t i s f y t h e I n d i a n s and p e r m i t s e t t l e m e n t o f Canada. The P r o c l a m a t i o n i t s e l f was a s t a t e m e n t o f p o l i c y w h i c h had been f o r m i n g f o r many y e a r s b e f o r e 1763. The p o l i t i c a l u r g e n c y was g e n e r a t e d by e v e n t s w h i c h o c c u r r e d i n Canada d u r i n g and a f t e r t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e Seven Y e a r s War. D u r i n g t h a t war, t h e B r i t i s h and t h e F r e n c h f o u g h t one a n o t h e r f o r D o m i n i o n o v e r Canada. The I n d i a n N a t i o n s , on t h e w h o l e , s i d e d w i t h t h e B r i t i s h b e c a u s e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e B r i t i s h Crown r e p e a t e d l y h e l d o u t t o t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s t h a t the B r i t i s h Crown w o u l d g i v e them p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t the F r e n c h who had d e s i g n s on I n d i a n l a n d s . When t h e war c o n c l u d e d , t h e B r i t i s h r e f u s e d t o remove t h e i r o u t p o s t s f r o m I n d i a n t e r r i t o r y . I n d i a n s moved a g a i n s t the B r i t i s h . The g r e a t e s t o f the b a t t l e s was l e d by C h i e f P o n t i a c . Between 1761 and 1763 s e v e n o f the t e n B r i t i s h o u t p o s t s were d e s t r o y e d by t h e I n d i a n s . The B r i t i s h Crown was u n d e r p r e s s u r e t o e s t a b l i s h an a g r e e a b l e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l - 15 - a r r a n g e m e n t w i t h t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763 became t h e s o l u t i o n . The t e r m s o f t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n i t s e l f were n e g o t i a t e d w i t h t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s c o n c e r n e d . By i t s t e r m s , a g e n e r a l p r o h i b i t i o n was p l a c e d on the s e t t l e m e n t o f unceded I n d i a n l a n d s , u n t i l t h e l a n d s were y i e l d e d up t o t h e Crown t h r o u g h c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n r e c o g n i z e d and c o n f i r m e d t h e s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The I n d i a n s were d e s c r i b e d as " N a t i o n s " and i t was o n l y t h r o u g h a v o t e o f t h e N a t i o n s i n A s s e m b l y t h a t r i g h t s b e l o n g i n g t o t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s c o u l d be c o n f e r r e d t o t h e Crown. S i m i l a r l y , l a n d r i g h t s were r e c o g n i z e d i n s o f a r as t h e y must be " p u r c h a s e d " : u n t i l t h e n , I n d i a n l a n d was p l a c e d beyond t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e g o v e r n o r s t o g r a n t . The C o u r t s h a v e a d d r e s s e d t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l f o r c e o f t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763. D e c i s i o n s have h e l d t h a t t h e P r o c l a m a t i o n has t h e f o r c e o f s t a t u t e i n Canada and has n e v e r been r e p e a l e d : C a m p b e l l v. H a l l (1 774) 1 Cowp. 204, R e g i n a v. Lady M c M a s t e r (1926) Ex.C.R. 68. I n the r e c e n t d e c i s i o n o f The Queen v. S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r F o r e i g n and Commonwealth A f f a i r s (The A l b e r t a C a s e ) ( J a n u a r y 28, 1982) A.C., t h e M a s t e r o f t h e R o l l s r u l e d t h a t t h e P r o c l a m a t i o n was a C o n s t i t u t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t e n t r e n c h i n g t h e r i g h t s and r e l a t i o n s h i p s c o n t a i n e d t h e r e i n . O p e r a t i n g w i t h i n t h e framework o f t h e R o y a l - 16 - P r o c l a m a t i o n , t r e a t i e s were c o n c l u d e d by v a r i o u s I n d i a n N a t i o n s and t h e Crown. The t r e a t i e s r e c o g n i z e d t h e s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e Indian Nations as it was only with the consent of the Indian Nations in assembly that the treaty was concluded; provisions w i t h i n t h e t r e a t y assumed t h e o n g o i n g e x i s t e n c e o f I n d i a n g o v e r n m e n t s and assumed t h e e x i s t e n c e o f I n d i a n l a n d r i g h t s . The t r e a t i e s were d e s i g n e d as f u n d a m e n t a l i n s t r u m e n t s w h i c h would e n d u r e t h e p a s s a g e o f t i m e and g o v e r n m e n t s . The d u r a b i l i t y o f the a g r e e m e n t s was a r t i c u l a t e d by t h e Crown's r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s : "The Queen h a s t o t h i n k o f what w i l l come l o n g a f t e r t o d a y . T h e r e f o r e t h e p r o m i s e s we have t o make t o y o u a r e n o t f o r t o d a y o n l y b u t f o r t o m o r r o w , n o t o n l y f o r y o u b u t f o r y o u r c h i l d r e n b o r n and u n b o r n and t h e p r o m i s e s we make w i l l be c a r r i e d o u t a s l o n g as t h e s u n s h i n e s and t h e r i v e r s f l o w i n t h e o c e a n . " T h u s , i n c o n c l u s i o n , i t was on t h e b a s i s o f I n d i a n s o v e r e i g n t y t h a t t h e Crown and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s c o n c l u d e d t h i s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a r r a n g e m e n t . As a r e s u l t o f t h o s e c o m p a c t s t h e P r o v i n c i a l and l a t e r t h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t s were a b l e t o c o n s o l i d a t e power and a u t h o r i t y u n d e r t h e B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a A c t . The o p e r a t i o n o f t h i s r u l e o f l a w i s i l l u s t r a t e d by t h e P e t i t i o n p r e s e n t e d by M a r i e J o s e p h P h i l e b o t t o t h e E x e c u t i v e C o u n c i l o f Quebec on December 2 1 , 1766, p r a y i n g f o r a g r a n t o f 20,000 a c r e s o f t h e l a n d i n t h e c o l o n y o f Quebec. T h i s l a n d had n o t been ceded by the I n d i a n s p u r s u a n t t o t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n ; t h e l a n d was n o t g r a n t e d : "The C o m m i t t e e h a v i n g t a k e n t h e same i n t o - 17 - c o n s i d e r a t i o n a r e o f t h e o p i n i o n t h e Lands so p r a y t o be a s s i g n e d a r e , o r a r e c l a i m e d t o be t h e p r o p e r t y o f t h e I n d i a n s , and as such by H i s M a j e s t y ' s command as s e t f o r t h i n t h e P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763, n o t w i t h i n t h e i r power t o g r a n t ; t h e C o m m i t t e e a r e f u r t h e r o f t h e O p i n i o n t h a t t h e y a r e r e s t r a i n e d by H i s M a j e s t y ' s s a i d O r d e r f r o m g r a n t i n g Lands b u t upon t h e C o n d i t i o n s t h e r e i n c o n t a i n e d . " As t h e P r o v i n c e s and l a t e r t h e F e d e r a l Government f o r m e d c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a r r a n g e m e n t s , t h e B r i t i s h Crown p r e s e r v e d t h e o b l i g a t i o n s and c o m p a c t s w i t h t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s t h r o u g h two p r o c e s s e s . I n t h e p r e - c o n f e d e r a t i o n p e r i o d , each C o n s t i t u t i o n a l A c t s a v e d t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n w h i l e , a t t h e same t i m e c o n s o l i d a t e d t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t s o v e r c e d e d l a n d s . The s a v i n g c l a u s e s a r e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e Quebec A c t (1771) S e c t i o n 3; The C o n s t i t u t i o n a l A c t (1791) S e c t i o n 33; The U n i o n A c t (1840) S e c t i o n 46. A t C o n f e d e r a t i o n , a d e l i c a t e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f l e g i s l a t i v e a u t h o r i t y s a f e g u a r d e d Crown o b l i g a t i o n s t o t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . Under t h e B.N.A. A c t , t h e f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t , u n d e r S e c t i o n 9 1 ( 2 4 ) was d e l e g a t e d l e g i s l a t i v e j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r " I n d i a n s and l a n d s r e s e r v e d f o r I n d i a n s " . The p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t , u n d e r S e c t i o n 109, r e t a i n e d l a n d s , m i n e s , m i n e r a l s and r o y a l t i e s o f t h e p r o v i n c e " s u b j e c t t o any t r u s t e x i s t i n g i n r e s p e c t t h e r e o f , and t o any i n t e r e s t o t h e r t h a n t h a t o f t h e p r o v i n c e i n t h e same". The I m p e r i a l government r e t a i n e d t h e amending f o r m u l a . I n t h e j u d g m e n t s by t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l i n S t . - 18 - C a t h e r i n e s M i l l i n g & Lumber Company v. The Queen ( 1 8 8 9 ) 14 A.C. 4 6 ( P . C . ) and l a t e r i n A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l f o r Quebec v. A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l f o r Canada (The S t a r c h r o m e Case) (1921) A.C.41, t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l d e c i d e d t h a t t h e I n d i a n i n t e r e s t i n unceded l a n d i s "an i n t e r e s t o t h e r t h a n t h a t o f t h e p r o v i n c e o f t h e same; h e n c e i s a b u r d e n on t h e t i t l e o f the p r o v i n c e s " . A l t h o u g h t h e p r e c i s e s c o p e o f S e c t i o n 9 1 ( 2 4 ) has n e v e r been e x p l i c i t l y d e t e r m i n e d , the c a t e g o r y has l e g a l l i m i t s c i r c u m s c r i b e d by t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1 763 and t h e t r e a t i e s . The R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n , as an I m p e r i a l s t a t u t e i n 1867, n o t o n l y bound Canada b u t p o s s e s s e d o v e r r i d i n g f o r c e , as t o n u l l i f y any e x i s t i n g o r f u t u r e l o c a l l a w s w h i c h c o n f l i c t e d w i t h i t ( C o l o n i a l Laws V a l i d i t y A c t , 1 8 6 5 ) . Cases have been d e c i d e d w h i c h s u p p o r t t h e p r o p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e f e d e r a l j u r i s d i c t i o n was i n t h e n a t u r e o f a t r u s t , a d m i n i s t e r i n g Crown o b l i g a t i o n s and p r o t e c t i n g I n d i a n s and l a n d s r e s e r v e d f o r I n d i a n s f r o m t h e r e a c h e s o f the p r o v i n c e s . R e g i n a v. Lady M c M a s t e r , s u p r a : A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l f o r t h e D o m i n i o n o f Canada and A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l f o r O n t a r i o and A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l f o r Quebec (1897) A.C.199; D e l b e r t G u e r i n e t a l v. Her M a j e s t y t h e Queen (1981) A c t i o n # T-4656-75. The I m p e r i a l g o v e r n m e n t c o n t i n u e d t o h o l d t h e b a l a n c e o f p o w e r , t h e r e b y p r e v e n t i n g e i t h e r the F e d e r a l o r t h e P r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t f r o m e x t i n g u i s h i n g Crown o b l i g a t i o n s w i t h o u t t h e - 1 9 - I n d i a n s ' c o n s e n t . C o n s t i t u t i o n a l a c t s w h i c h p o s t - d a t e C o n f e d e r a t i o n e v i d e n c e d a c l e a r i n t e n t i o n on t h e p a r t o f t h e I m p e r i a l g o v e r n m e n t t o m a i n t a i n i t s s u p e r v i s o r y r o l e w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t o f C a n a d i a n f e d e r a l i s m . S e c t i o n 31 o f t h e M a n i t o b a A c t s t a t e s t h a t 1,400,000 a c r e s o f l a n d i n the p r o v i n c e s h a l l be a p p r o p r i a t e d f o r t h e h a l f - b r e e d r e s i d e n t s t o w a r d s t h e e x t i n g u i s h m e n t o f I n d i a n t i t l e . F u r t h e r , S e c t i o n 6 o f t h e B.N.A. A c t 1871 (UK) p r o v i d e s t h a t i t s h a l l n o t be c o m p e t e n t f o r t h e p a r l i a m e n t o f Canada t o amend t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e M a n i t o b a A c t . T h i s S e c t i o n was n o t i n c l u d e d i n t h e F e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t ' s o r i g i n a l r e q u e s t t o t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t , but was a p r o v i s i o n r e q u i r e d by the I m p e r i a l g o v e r n m e n t . The e v i d e n c e d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t , i n p a r t , t h e I m p e r i a l g o v e r n m e n t was m o t i v a t e d by a d e s i r e t o p r e v e n t S e c t i o n 31 o f t h e M a n i t o b a A c t f r o m b e i n g r e v i s e d o r r e s c i n d e d by t h e F e d e r a l Government w h i c h was a v a l i d e x e r c i s e o f i t s s u p e r v i s o r y j u r i s d i c t i o n . I n an O r d e r o f Her M a j e s t y and C o u n c i l a d m i t t i n g R u p e r t ' s Land and the N o r t h W e s t e r n T e r r i t o r i e s i n t o t h e U n i o n (UK) 1870, c l a u s e 14 p r o v i d e s : 14. Any c l a i m s o f I n d i a n s t o c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r l a n d s r e q u i r e d f o r p u r p o s e s o f s e t t l e m e n t s h a l l be d i s p o s e d o f by the C a n a d i a n g o v e r n m e n t i n c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h the I m p e r i a l Government: - 20 - S c h e d u l e A o f t h e R u p e r t ' s Land A c t i s c o m p r i s e d o f An A d d r e s s t o H e r M a j e s t y t h e Queen f r o m t h e S e n a t e and t h e House o f Commons o f t h e D o m i n i o n o f C a n a d a : And f u r t h e r m o r e , t h a t , upon t h e t r a n s f e r e n c e o f t h e t e r r i t o r i e s i n q u e s t i o n t o t h e C a n a d i a n G o v e r n m e n t , t h e c l a i m s o f t h e I n d i a n t r i b e s t o c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r l a n d s r e q u i r e d f o r p u r p o s e s o f s e t t l e m e n t w i l l be c o n s i d e r e d and s e t t l e d i n c o n f o r m i t y w i t h t h e e q u i t a b l e p r i n c i p l e s w h i c h have u n i f o r m l y g o v e r n e d t h e B r i t i s h Crown i n i t s d e a l i n g s w i t h t h e A b o r i g i n i e s ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . F i n a l l y , i n c l u d e d i n t h e r e s o l u t i o n o f t h e A c t i s t h e f o l l o w i n g : RESOLVED- t h a t upon t h e t r a n s f e r e n c e o f t h e T e r r i t o r i e s i n q u e s t i o n t o t h e C a n a d i a n Government, i t w i l l be t h e d u t y o f t h e Government t o make a d e q u a t e p r o v i s i o n f o r t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n T r i b e s whose i n t e r e s t s a r e b e i n g i n v o l v e d i n t h e t r a n s f e r . The A c t o f a d m i t t i n g R u p e r t s Land c o n f o r m s w i t h t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l t r a d i t i o n o f t h e I m p e r i a l e n a c t m e n t s , c o n s o l i d a t i n g on one hand t h e a u t h o r i t y and t e r r i t o r y o f t h e l o c a l government w h i l e , a t t h e same t i m e r e c o g n i z i n g and p r o v i d i n g f o r l e g a l c l a i m s o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . When B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a e n t e r e d C o n f e d e r a t i o n i n 1871 t h e I m p e r i a l Government c o n t i n u e d t o h o l d an e x p l i c i t j u r i s d i c t i o n i n t h e r e s o l u t i o n o f I n d i a n t i t l e . The s u p e r v i s o r y r o l e i s - 21 - e v i d e n c e d i n C l a u s e 13 w h i c h r e a d s : 13. The c h a r g e o f the I n d i a n s , and t h e T r u s t e e s h i p and management o f the l a n d s r e s e r v e d f o r t h e i r use and b e n e f i t , s h a l l be assumed by t h e D o m i n i o n Government, and t h e p o l i c i e s as l i b e r a l as t h a t a r e h i t h e r t o p u r s u e d by t h e B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a Government s h a l l be c o n t i n u e d by t h e D o m i n i o n Government a f t e r t h e U n i o n . " To c a r r y o u t s u c h p o l i c y , t r a c t s o f l a n d o f s u c h e x t e n t as i t has h i t h e r t o been t h e p r a c t i c e o f t h e B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a Government who a p p r o p r i a t e f o r t h a t p u r p o s e , s h a l l f r o m t i m e t o t i m e be c o n v e y e d by the l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t t o the D o m i n i o n Government i n t r u s t f o r t h e use and b e n e f i t o f the I n d i a n s on a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e D o m i n i o n Government; and i n c a s e o f d i s a g r e e m e n t between the two g o v e r n m e n t s r e s p e c t i n g the q u a n t i t y o f s u c h t r a c t s o f l a n d t o be so g r a n t e d , the m a t t e r s h a l l be r e f e r r e d f o r the d e c i s i o n o f t h e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r t h e C o l o n i e s , ( e m p h a s i s added) T h i s c l a u s e was i n s e r t e d b e c a u s e the S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r t h e C o l o n i e s had been aware o f c o m p l a i n t s t h a t t h e l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t was a b r i d g i n g I n d i a n r i g h t s . I n summary, t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f l e g i s t l a t i v e a u t h o r i t y between the f e d e r a l and p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t s , as c o n f i r m e d by t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l i n S t . C a t h e r i n e s M i l l i n g , s u p r a x p r o v i d e s t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l b a c k g r o u n d f o r t h e p r o t e c t i o n and a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f Crown o b l i g a t i o n s . The f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t , c h a r g e d w i t h t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f t h e o b l i g a t i o n s t o t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s , w o u l d not b e n e f i t f r o m t h e u n b u r d e n e d t i t l e . The p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t d i d n o t have t h e a u t h o r i t y t o e x t i n g u i s h I n d i a n T i t l e , b u t w o u l d - 22 - a c q u i r e t h e u n b u r d e n e d f e e when I n d i a n c o n s e n t had been o b t a i n e d . The I m p e r i a l government c o n t i n u e d t o h o l d the b a l a n c e o f power, t h e r e b y p r e v e n t i n g e i t h e r t h e f e d e r a l o r t h e p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t s f r o m e x t i n g u i s h i n g Crown o b l i g a t i o n s . The p r o t e c t i v e r o l e o f t h e I m p e r i a l government i n t h i s d i s t r i b u t i o n o f power was e v i d e n c e d d u r i n g the d e b a t e on the W h i t e P a p e r . The F e d e r a l Government was a d v i s e d by the D e p a r t m e n t o f J u s t i c e t h a t i n o r d e r t o implement t h e W h i t e P a p e r p o l i c y t h e y were r e q u i r e d t o s e e k an amendment t o the B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a A c t , a s k i n g t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t t o a b s o l v e them o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s and j u r i s d i c t i o n u n d e r S e c t i o n 9 1 ( 2 4 ) . T h i s p o i n t was p i v o t a l t o the I n d i a n p o s i t i o n d u r i n g the c o n s t i t u t i o n - a l d e b a t e . S h o u l d B r i t a i n r e l i n q u i s h i t s s u p e r v i s o r y j u r i s d i c - t i o n , t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s w o u l d be p l a c e d w i t h i n a c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a r r a n g e m e n t w h i c h l e f t I n d i a n r i g h t s v u l n e r a b l e t o e x t i n c t i o n by an amending p r o c e s s w h i c h d i d n o t i n c l u d e t h e c o n s e n t o f the I n d i a n N a t i o n s . I n summary, s e v e r a l d i s t i n c t arguments emerged f r o m the c o n s t i t u t i o n a l h i s t o r y o f Canada. The f i r s t argument c o n c e r n s t h e n a t u r e o f Crown o b l i g a t i o n s . The R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n and the T r e a t i e s had been c o n c l u d e d w i t h t h e B r i t i s h Crown. Some t r e a t i e s r e c i t e d t h a t the P a r t y t o t h e t r e a t y was the K i n g o r Queen o f E n g l a n d & I r e l a n d , h e r H e i r s and S u c c e s s o r s . The - 23 - t r e a t i e s had been formed on t h e b a s i s t h a t I n d i a n s o v e r e i g n t y was r e c o g n i z e d and c o n f i r m e d . From t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f some I n d i a n N a t i o n s , many t r e a t i e s were c o n c l u d e d w i t h B r i t a i n f o r p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t Canada. A l l c o m p a c t s had been formed w i t h I n d i a n c o n s e n t . T h e r e was n o t a s h r e d o f e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s had e v e r d e v o l v e d t o Canada and c e r t a i n l y t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s had n e v e r c o n s e n t e d t o Canada b e c o m i n g a p a r t y t o them. The f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t was a l w a y s r e g a r d e d by t h e I n d i a n s as h a v i n g an a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r o l e o n l y u n d e r S e c t i o n 91 (24) o f t h e BNA A c t t o a d m i n i s t e r Crown o b l i g a t i o n s a s a g e n t s o f t h e B r i t i s h Crown. The Canada A c t n o t o n l y assumed t h a t a l l o b l i g a t i o n s were now w i t h C a n a d a , i t p l a c e d t h e power i n t h e hands o f t h e f e d e r a l and p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t s t o t e r m i n a t e t h o s e a g r e e m e n t s w i t h o u t I n d i a n c o n s e n t . The s e c o n d argument c o n c e r n e d t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l p o s i t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The I n d i a n N a t i o n s had formed a c o n s t i t u t i o n a l agreement w i t h t h e Crown, e n a c t e d t h r o u g h t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1 763 and t h e t r e a t i e s . T h i s a r r a n g e m e n t was c o n c l u d e d w i t h I n d i a n c o n s e n t and on t h e b a s i s o f a r e c o g n i t i o n o f I n d i a n s o v e r e i g n t y . The BNA A c t was g r a f t e d o n t o t h i s p r e - e x i s t i n g c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a r r a n g e m e n t . By 1867, Canada was c o m p r i s e d o f t h r e e e n t i t i e s , e a c h w i t h a d e g r e e o f s o v e r e i g n i t y r e c o g n i z e d u n d e r t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n - t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s , t h e F e d e r a l P a r l i a m e n t and t h e P r o v i n c i a l P a r l i a m e n t s . I n 1982, T r u d e a u was s e e k i n g t o change t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f Canada by e l i m i n a t i n g t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s s o v e r e i g n u n i t s w i t h i n t h e - 24 - C o n s t i t u t i o n , by e l i m i n a t i n g t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n and t h e T r e a t i e s as c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t s and by p l a c i n g a l l f u t u r e r i g h t s o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n t h e hands o f t h e F e d e r a l and P r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t s who w o u l d have t h e power t o change o r t e r m i n a t e them w i t h o u t I n d i a n c o n s e n t . T r u d e a u was p u l l i n g a c o u p d ' e t a t a g a i n s t t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s t h r o u g h p a t r i a t i o n . (b) L e g a l and L e g a l r e l a t e d A c t i o n t a k e n A l t h o u g h an enormous e f f o r t was made by I n d i a n N a t i o n s a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y , t h i s r e p o r t w i l l c o n c e n t r a t e on d e s c r i b i n g t h e a c t i v i t y a s i t was i n i t i a t e d b y , o r e f f e c t e d t h e B.C. I n d i a n s . 1. Goerge M a n u e l e t a l v. Her M a j e s t y t h e Queen I n t h e F e d e r a l C o u r t o f Canada, T r i a l D i v i s i o n F i l e d t h e 2 5 t h day o f S e p t e m b e r , 1980, V a n c o u v e r R e g i s t r y A l e g a l a c t i o n was i n i t i a t e d i n September 1980 by n i n e C h i e f s f r o m B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a , s u i n g on b e h a l f o f t h e m s e l v e s and t h e i r Bands. The c a s e s o u g h t d e c l a r a t o r y r e l i e f t h a t t h e C a n a d i a n C o n s t i t u t i o n c o u l d n o t be p a t r i a t e d w i t h o u t t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The p l e a d i n g s c l o s e d i n t h a t a c t i o n ; h o w e v e r , t h e C h i e f s i n s t r u c t e d t h a t t h e m a t t e r n o t p r o c e e d t o t r i a l . The - 25 - f i r s t c o n s i d e r a t i o n was a t i m i n g q u e s t i o n . P r i m e M i n i s t e r T r u d e a u p l a y e d r u t h l e s s l y w i t h t h e e m o t i o n s o f t h e p e o p l e as he c o n t i n u e d t o announce b r e a k - n e c k d e a d l i n e s f o r t h e d e l i v e r y o f t h e F e d e r a l R e q u e s t t o W e s t m i n s t e r . I t a p p e a r e d t h a t the R e q u e s t w o u l d have l e f t Canada b e f o r e d i s c o v e r i e s c o u l d be c o n c l u d e d . F u r t h e r , t h r o u g h t h e i r p o w e r s t o have C o n s t i t u t i o n a l r e f e r e n c e s c o n c l u d e d by t h e a p p e l l a t e C o u r t s and t h e n the Supreme C o u r t o f C a n a d a , t h e p r o v i n c e s were a b l e t o d r i v e t h e i r q u e s t i o n t o O t t a w a a t a p a c e w h i c h would l e a v e the I n d i a n N a t i o n s ' a c t i o n f a r b e h i n d . A p r o b l e m w h i c h was t o become a r e c u r r i n g theme o f the c o n s t i t u t i o n a l d e b a t e f o r the I n d i a n N a t i o n s was an e x c l u s i o n o f t h e I n d i a n argument f r o m t h e f o r u m s d e b a t i n g t h e i s s u e . One e l d e r p u t i t t h i s way: "Canada i s i n s i d e p l a y i n g h o c k e y w i t h u s , b u t t h e y won't l e t us i n t h e d o o r . A l l we h e a r f r o m t h e o u t s i d e i s t h e c a l l o f them s c o r i n g " . Some I n d i a n N a t i o n s a p p e a r e d a t t h e M a n i t o b a C o u r t a t the s t a r t o f t h e P r o v i n c i a l R e f e r e n c e and s o u g h t l e a v e t o have t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n q u e s t i o n expanded t o i n c l u d e t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e r e q u i r e m e n t o f I n d i a n c o n s e n t t o t h e R e q u e s t . T h i s a p p l i c a t i o n was r e f u s e d . I n d i a n N a t i o n s f r o m d i f f e r e n t p r o v i n c e s a p p r o a c h e d t h e i r A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l s ' o f f i c e s s e p a r a t e l y , s e e k i n g t o h a v e t h e i r p r o v i n c e a d v a n c e a s e p a r a t e C o n s t i t u t i o n R e f e r e n c e on t h e i r b e h a l f . E v e r y P r o v i n c i a l Government w h i c h was a p p r o a c h e d r e f u s e d t o a s s i s t the f a i r h e a r i n g o f t h e i s s u e . The s e c o n d c o n s i d e r a t i o n was a p o l i t i c a l one. The - 26 - " C o n s t i t u t i o n a l E x p r e s s ' had a l r e a d y c r o s s e d the c o u n t r y . Hundreds o f I n d i a n men, women, c h i l d r e n , e l d e r s , and l e a d e r s l e f t t h e i r homes b e f o r e C h r i s t m a s s c r a p i n g t o g e t h e r what l i t t l e t h e y had, t o go t o O t t a w a t o f i g h t t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n . T h i s p o w e r f u l t r a i n moved t h e T r u d e a u G o v e r n m e n t t o announce t h a t t h e S t a n d i n g Committee w o u l d e n l a r g e i t s t i m e f r a m e f r o m December 1980 t o F e b r u a r y 1981 t o h e a r r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s f r o m the I n d i a n N a t i o n s , among o t h e r s . P r e v i o u s l y , t h e S t a n d i n g Committee had a n n o u n c e d t h a t t h e y w o u l d n o t h e a r f r o m t h e I n d i a n s . I n d i a n N a t i o n s had come on t h e t r a i n s e e k i n g t o become a p a r t y t o the b r o a d C o n s t i t u t i o n a l r e v i e w : p a r t i c i p a t i o n a t the l e v e l o f t h e S t a n d i n g Committee was r e j e c t e d . I n s t e a d , the C o n s t i t u t i o n a l E x p r e s s a t t e n d e d a t t h e r e s i d e n c e o f G o v e r n o r G e n e r a l S c h r e y e r and p r e s e n t e d him w i t h a P e t i t i o n and B i l l o f P a r t i c u l a r s t o be d e l i v e r e d t o the Queen. A s i m i l a r b u t n o t i d e n t i c a l B i l l o f P a r t i c u l a r s was s u b m i t t e d t o t h e Government o f Canada and the ' E x p r e s s ' j o u r n e y e d t o t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s t o d e l i v e r a t h i r d b i l l to t h a t body. The P e t i t i o n i n a l l t h r e e documents was the same. I t r e a d : P e t i t i o n An o p p o r t u n i t y e x i s t s t o e l e v a t e the c o n s t i t u t i o n a l amendment t o an e x e r c i s e i n s t a t e m a n s h i p and n a t i o n b u i l d i n g . T h i s i s a c o u r s e w h i c h we would welcome b e c a u s e i t o f f e r s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f c r e a t i n g a p l a c e f o r us i n Canada's f e d e r a l s y s t e m c o n s i s t e n t w i t h o u r r i g h t s as I n d i a n N a t i o n s . We have g i v e n l o n g and s e r i o u s c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n many a s s e m b l i e s o f o u r p e o p l e to the ways i n w h i c h o u r s p e c i a l s t a t u s can be i n t e g r a t e d i n t o Canada's f e d e r a l s y s t e m . We a r e c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h i s aim can be a c c o m p l i s h e d w i t h t h e r e s u l t o f s t r e n g t h e n i n g o u r I n d i a n N a t i o n s and o f s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e Government o f Canada. T h i s p r o c e s s , - 27 - however must t a k e p l a c e b e f o r e t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n i s amended. I t i s o u r p o s i t i o n t h a t r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f the I n d i a n N a t i o n s , G r e a t B r i t a i n and Canada must now e n t e r i n t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y s u p e r v i s e d d i s c u s s i o n s o u t s i d e o f Canada t o : 1. R e v i e w and d e f i n e t h e p r e s e n t r o l e s and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f a l l p a r t i e s i n v o l v e d i n t h e e x i s t i n g ' t r i - l a t e r a l 1 r e l a t i o n - s h i p , i n c l u d i n g t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s , t h e C a n a d i a n Government and the B r i t i s h G o v e r n m e n t . 2. D e f i n e i n d e t a i l the f u l l meaning and e x - t e n t o f t h e p o l i t i c a l a s s o c i a t i o n b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and the I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n Canada. 3. D e f i n e and a g r e e i n d e t a i l on the f u l l a r e a and b o u n d a r i e s o f t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p - i e d a n d / o r owned by t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s o f C a n a d a . 4. D e f i n e i n d e t a i l t h e means by w h i c h e x i s t i n g and f u t u r e c o n f l i c t s may be r e s - o l v e d between an I n d e p e n d e n t Canada and I n d i a n N a t i o n s . 5. D e f i n e and d e t e r m i n e the e x t e n t and amount o f p a y m e n t s owed t o I n d i a n N a t i o n s o f Canada by t h e C a n a d i a n Government f o r l a n d s and n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s a l r e a d y c o n - f i s c a t e d o r e x p r o p r i a t e d by the C a n a d i a n G o v e r n m e n t a n d / o r i t s a g e n t s ; and a g r e e t o t h e method and t e r m s f o r payment. 6. D e f i n e t h e t e r m s f o r p o l i t i c a l e x i s t e n c e b e t w e e n t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s o f Canada and t h e C a n a d i a n Government. 7. D e f i n e t h e e q u a l i z a t i o n payment p l a n b e t - ween t h e C a n a d i a n Government and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . 8. D e f i n e t h e a l t e r n a t i v e s f o r i n d i v i d u a l I n d i a n c i t i z e n s h i p i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e i r own n a t u r a l c i t i z e n s h i p . 9. D e f i n e and a g r e e t o the n e c e s s a r y meas- u r e s t o e n s u r e t h a t e a c h I n d i a n N a t i o n can e x e r c i s e the f u l l measure o f s e l f - g o v e r n m e n t , w i t h i n t h e C a n a d i a n C o n f e d e r - a t i o n . - 28 - 10. D e f i n e t h e r o l e s and a u t h o r i t i e s o f t h e v a r i o u s p a r t i e s i n m a t t e r s r e l a t e d t o f i s h i n g , w i l d l i f e , r e l i g i o u s l a n d s p r o t e c t i o n , w a t e r r e s o u r c e management and c o n t r o l , u s e and d e v e l o p m e n t o f m i n e r a l s , p e t r o l e u m r e s o u r c e s , t i m b e r , and o t h e r n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s . 11. D e f i n e t h e t e r m s o f a T r e a t y w h i c h w i l l c o d i f y t h e a g r e e m e n t s a b o v e , as w e l l as d e f i n e t h e m e a s u r e s n e c e s s a r y t o s e t t l e t h e u n r e s o l v e d l a n d s and o t h e r t e r r i t o r i a l c l a i m s . 12. A g r e e upon t h e f o r m a t i o n o f an I n t e r n a t i o n a l I n d i g e n o u s T r u s t C o u n c i l w i t h i n t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s t o o v e r s e e f u t u r e r e l a t i o n s between I n d i g e n o u s P e o p l e s and C o u n t r i e s w i t h w h i c h t h e y a r e a s s o c i a t e d . As a l a s t r e s o r t , i f t h e t r i - l a t e r a l n e g o t i a t i o n s a r e n o t commenced, we w i l l t a k e w h a t e v e r o t h e r measures a r e n e c e s s a r y t o s e p a r a t e I n d i a n N a t i o n s p e r m a n e n t l y f r o m the j u r i s d i c t i o n and c o n t r o l o f t h e Government o f Canada whose i n t e n t i o n s a r e h o s t i l e t o o u r P e o p l e . We w i l l be f o r c e d t o t a k e t h i s s t e p w h i l e r e q u i r i n g B r i t a i n t o f u l f i l l t h e o b l i g a t i o n s owed t o u s . We r e q u e s t t h a t t h e Government o f Canada g i v e s e r i o u s and i m m e d i a t e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o t h i s P e t i t i o n and B i l l o f P a r t i c u l a r s and i n v i e w o f t h e d e a d l i n e s e s t a b l i s h e d , t h a t a r e s p o n s e be p r o v i d e d by F e b r u a r y 6, 1981. DATED a t t h e C i t y o f O t t a w a , December 1980. GEORGE MANUEL, P r e s i d e n t U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s F e b r u a r y 6 t h came and went w i t h o u t a r e p l y . By t h e end o f t h e ' C o n s t i t u t i o n a l E x p r e s s ' t h e l e a d e r s a s s e s s e d t h a t t h e demands c o n t a i n e d w i t h i n t h e B i l l o f P a r t i c u l a r s c o u l d n o t be o b t a i n e d t h r o u g h a c t i o n c o n c e n t r a t e d e n t i r e l y w i t h i n Canada. D e c i s i o n s were t a k e n t o move a c t i v i t y i n t o W e s t m i n s t e r and i n t o the w o r l d a r e n a . The l e g a l case f o l l o w e d t h e p o l i t i c s . - 29 - 2. The F o u r t h R u s s e l l T r i b u n a l on t h e R i g h t s o f t h e I n d i a n s o f A m e r i c a : R o t t e r d a m , November 1980 In November 1 980 t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s p r e s e n t e d a w r i t t e n argument and made r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s t o t h e F o u r t h R u s s e l l T r i b u n a l on t h e R i g h t s o f t h e I n d i a n s o f A m e r i c a on t h e p l i g h t o f t h e C a n a d i a n I n d i a n i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n d e b a t e . The T r i b u n a l was c o m p r i s e d o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l j u r i s t s who a s s e m b l e d i n R o t t e r d a m f o r t h e h e a r i n g . R e p r e s e n t a t i o n s were made f r o m o t h e r I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n C a n a d a . I n p a r t i c u l a r d e l e g a t e s f r o m t h e T r e a t y #9 a r e a i n O n t a r i o made a s u p e r b p r e s e n t a t i o n on Canada's r o l e i n b r e a k i n g t h e i r t r e a t y on t h e i s s u e o f t h e i r r i g h t t o hunt m i g r a t o r y b i r d s . In i t s r e p o r t , (page 3 7 ) , t h e T r i b u n a l condemned t h e d o m i n a t i o n o f I n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e s t h r o u g h C o n s t i t u t i o n a l r e f o r m . " ( 5 ) V i o l a t i o n s o f A l l Forms o f I n t e r n a l S e l f - Government and e v e n o f t h e R i g h t o f L o c a l Community- L e v e l G o v e r n m e n t , a s i n t h e c a s e s o f t h e c o m m u n i t i e s o f C o l c a b a m o a and T a y a c a y a and e l s e w h e r e i n PERU, o f v i r t u a l l y a l l B r a z i l i a n g r o u p s , o f t h e Mapuche i n C H I L E , o f n a t i v e g r o u p s r e f u s e d r e c o g n i t i o n as I n d i a n s i n CANADA, t h e UNITED STATES, and e l s e w h e r e , and a l s o w i t h t h e P i t t R i v e r T r i b e , t h e L a k o t a , t h e P u y a l l u p and o t h e r n a t i o n s i n t h e UNITED STATES. T h i s i s a g e n e r a l p r o b l e m i n a l m o s t e v e r y c o u n t r y o f t h e A m e r i c a s . S p e c i a l m e n t i o n s h o u l d be made o f t h e ' t e r m i n a t i o n ' p o l i c y o f t h e USA, w h i c h a s s e r t s t h e u l t i m a t e r i g h t t o t o t a l l y e l i m i n a t e n a t i v e s o c i e t i e s as g o v e r n m e n t a l u n i t s . " ( 6 ) The G e n e r a l R e f u s a l o r F a i l u r e t o I n v o l v e N a t i v e N a t i o n s i n t h e C r e a t i o n s o f C o n s t i t u t i o n s o r B a s i c - 30 - I n s t r u m e n t s o f Government i n t h e S t a t e s o f t h e A m e r i c a s , e v e n i n i n s t a n c e s where t h e f e d e r a l p r i n c i p l e o f govenment o b t a i n s , as i n t h e c u r r e n t c r e a t i o n o f a new c o n s t i t u t i o n i n CANADA where I n d i a n r i g h t s a r e , a t p r e s e n t , n o t b e i n g c o n s i d e r e d . As s o v e r e i g n u n i t s o f g o v e r n a n c e , N a t i v e N a t i o n s and R e p u b l i c s o r P u e b l o s p o s s e s s t h e i n h e r e n t r i g h t o f r e f u s i n g any i n c o r p o r - a t i o n o r o f b e i n g a u t h e n t i c a l l y r e p r e s e n t e d as a s e l f - g o v e r n i n g u n i t where t h e i r t e r r i t o r y has been i n c l u d e d i n t h e a r e a c l a i m e d by a s t a t e a p p a r a t u s . I n o t h e r w o r d s , a c o n s t i t u t i o n and g o v e r n m e n t c a n n o t be imposed on I n d i a n p e o p l e w i t h o u t a u t h e n t i c p a r t i c i p a t i o n and t h e r i g h t o f r e f u s a l t o be i n c o r p o r a t e d i n v o l u n t a r i l y i s a p r e c o n d i t i o n . " I n t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n t o i t s r e p o r t the T r i b u n a l made some g e n e r a l comments a b o u t t h e n a t u r e o f t h e t e s t i m o n y b e f o r e i t : "Many v o i c e s have s p o k e n b e f o r e us and have e x p r e s s e d v i v i d l y t h e v i t a l i t y and t h e c a p a c i t y f o r r e s i s t e n c e , f o u n d among the I n d i a n p e o p l e . . . A s i g n i f i c a n t number o f I n d i a n n a t i o n s and c o m m u n i t i e s i n t h e A m e r i c a s have p e r s e r v e d t h e i r own i d e n t i t y and c u l t u r a l i n i t i a t i v e , i n s p i t e o f t h e u n r e m i t t i n g e f f o r t s o f g e n o c i d e and e t h n o c i d e d i r e c t e d a g a i n s t them... The p r o g r a m o f c u l t u r a l d e s t r u c t i o n and s o c i a l o p p r e s s i o n o f t h e n a t i v e P e o p l e f o t h e A m e r i c a s d i d n o t c e a s e when t h e s e v e r a l c o u n t r i e s o f t h e A m e r i c a n c o n t i n e n t d e c l a r e d t h e i r i n d e p e n d e n c e . On the c o n t r a r y , t h e y s i m p l y a s - sumed new f o r m s . S i n c e t h e n , t h e m a c h i n e r y o f i n t e r n a l c o l o n i a l i s m has been c o n t i n u o u s l y c o n s o l i d a t e d , r u t h - l e s s l y s e e k i n g t h e d e s i n t e g r a t i o n o f I n d i a n commun- i t i e s . Now we a r e s e e i n g an i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o f a g r e s s - i o n l e d by g o v e r n m e n t a l and l o c a l r u l i n g g r o u p s , o f t e n d o m i n a t e d by t r a n s n a t i o n a l c e n t e r s o f p o w e r s . . . " "We a r e f a c e d w i t h a u n i v e r s a l u p r i s i n g o f o p p r e s s e d n a t i o n a l i t i e s and g r o w i n g demands f o r autonomy. They seek an end t o e n f o r c e d a l i e n a t i o n and the r e c o v e r y o f c u l t u r a l i d e n t i t y . C e n t r a l i z e d g o v e r n m e n t a l s t r u c t u r e s a r e e x p e r i e n c i n g c r i s e s i n s t a t e s w h i c h i n c l u d e d i f - f e r e n t n a t i o n a l i t i e s and e t h n i c g r o u p s . T h i s s i t u a t i o n c o i n c i d e s , i n A m e r i c a , w i t h the breakdown o f a E u r o p e a n - c e n t r e d c o n c e p t o f c i v i l i z a t i o n a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h t h e o n l y c i v i l i z e d p e o p l e a r e t h o s e who a c t l i k e E u r o p e a n s o r t h o s e e l i t e s who p r e t e n d t o be c a r r i e r s o f - 31 - ' w e s t e r n ' c u l t u r e . T h i s t r i b u n a l h a s s e r v e d a s a f o r u m f o r t e s t i m o n y a g a i n s t e t h n o c i d a l o p p r e s s i o n and f o r t h e f r e e e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e w i l l t o s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t t h o s e p o w e r s t h a t s t i l l w i s h t o w i p e o u t t h e a u t h e n t i c c h a r a c t e r o f the o l d e s t c u l t u r e s o f A m e r i c a . " The e x p e r i e n c e b e f o r e t h e R u s s e l l T r i b u n a l was a s u c c e s s . C e n t r a l t o t h e p o l i t i c a l o b j e c t i v e was t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f a g r e a t e r p u b l i c a w a r e n e s s o f who t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e and t h e f a c t t h a t Canada c o n t i n u e s r u t h l e s s l y t o c o l o n i z e t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s , c r e a t i n g among t h e p e o p l e w i d e s p r e a d p o v e r t y and s o m e t i m e s g e n o c i d e . The I n d i a n r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s r e t u r n e d w i t h t h e d i s t u r b i n g f a c t t h a t t h e y were one o f a few d e l e g a t i o n s who d i d n o t have t o go i n t o t h e h e a r i n g s w i t h bags o v e r t h e i r h e a d s . 3. S u b m i s s i o n t o t h e F o r e i g n A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e : House o f Commons i n v e s t i g a t i n g B.N.A. A c t s : The R o l e o f P a r l i a m e n t : C h a i r m a n S i r A n t h o n y K e r s h a w , November and December, 1980 A S t a n d i n g C o m m i t t e e was convened by t h e U n i t e d Kingdom P a r l i a m e n t t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e r o l e o f W e s t m i n s t e r w i t h r e g a r d t o a r e q u e s t t o p a t r i a t e t h e B.N.A. A c t . The C o m m i t t e e had a u t h o r i t y t o h e a r w i t n e s s e s and send f o r e x p e r t s t o a s s i s t them i n t h e i r d e l i b e r a t i o n s . The U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s s e n t a w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n and r e q u e s t e d p e r m i s s i o n t o make r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s t o t h e C o m m i t t e e . The d o o r slammed s h u t once more. I n s t e a d o f a l l o w i n g - 32 - r e p r e s e n t a t i o n f r o m t h e I n d i a n s on t h e q u e s t i o n o f Crown o b l i g a t i o n s f r o m t h e I n d i a n v i e w , Mr. Kershaw r e l i e d on Mr. F r e e l a n d f r o m t h e F o r e i g n and Commonwealth O f f i c e . The e n q u i r y was r e c o r d e d i n a f o o t n o t e i n Mr. K e r s h a w ' s r e p o r t . Mr. F r e e l a n d had been a s k e d w h e t h e r h i s v i e w t h a t t h e Crown had no e x i s t i n g l e g a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s under T r e a t i e s made w i t h t h e I n d i a n s had e v e r been c h a l l e n g e d i n the C o u r t s ; Mr. F r e e l a n d r e p l i e d , " n o t t o my k n o w l e d g e " . The R e p o r t o f t h e C o m m i t t e e was p u b l i s h e d on J a n u a r y 21, 1981. On t h e b a s i s o f no e v i d e n c e on the p o i n t and no e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e s i d e s o f t h e p o i n t , t h e Committee c o n c l u d e d t h i s a b o u t Crown o b l i g a t i o n s t o t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s : "117. We know o f no r e a s o n t o d o u b t the FCO's e v i d e n c e t h a t the U n i t e d Kingdom has no t r e a t y o r o t h e r o b l i g a t i o n s t o I n d i a n s i n Canada: ' A l l t r e a t y o b l i g a t i o n s i n so f a r as t h e y s t i l l s u b s i s t e d became t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e Government o f Canada w i t h t h e a t t a i n m e n t o f i n d e p e n d e n c e , a t the l a t e s t w i t h t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r . The B.N.A. A c t 1867, s e c t i o n 9 1 ( 2 4 ) , c o n f e r r e d on t h e P a r l i a m e n t o f Canada l e g i s l a t i v e a u t h o r i t y ( e x c l u s i v e and paramount as a g a i n s t t h e l e g i s l a t i v e p o w e r s o f t h e P r o v i n c e s ) t o make l a w s i n r e l a t i o n t o " I n d i a n s , and Lands r e s e r v e d f o r the I n d i a n s " . We know o f no r e a s o n t o suppose t h a t the R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n was i n any way e n t r e n c h e d o r p r o t e c t e d a g a i n s t t h e l e g i s l a t i v e power o f the C a n a d i a n P a r l i a m e n t . S i n c e t h e P r o c l a m a t i o n , even i f i t s t i l l i s i n f o r c e , i s n o t p a r t o f t h e B.N.A. A c t s 1 867 t o 1930, the U n i t e d Kingdom P a r l i a m e n t c o u l d not make any law a f f e c t i n g i t u n l e s s Canada had r e q u e s t e d and c o n s e n t e d t o t h e e n a c t m e n t o f s u c h l a w ; s u c h i s t h e e f f e c t o f t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r 1931, s e c t i o n s 4 and 7 ( 1 ) . 118. I t a p p e a r s t o us t h a t I n d i a n r i g h t s and i n t e r e s t s a r e among the many t o p i c s , c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e w e l f a r e o f Canada and i t s p e o p l e s , w h i c h c o u l d n o t - 33 - r i g h t l y be made t h e s u b j e c t o f d e l i b e r a t i o n b y t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m P a r l i a m e n t i n d e a l i n g w i t h a r e q u e s t f o r amendment o r p a t r i a t i o n o f t h e B.N.A. A c t s : s e p a r a 113 above. These a r e a l l m a t t e r s f o r t h e a p p r o p r i a t e C a n a d i a n a u t h o r i t i e s , and we u n d e r s t a n d t h a t I n d i a n r i g h t s and i n t e r e s t s , i n p a r t i c u l a r , a r e b e i n g c o n - s i d e r e d now by t h e C a n a d i a n P a r l i a m e n t . " I n a L e g a l O p i n i o n p r e p a r e d by R o s a l y n H i g g i n s , P r o f e s - s o r o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l Law, U n i v e r s i t y o f London a t t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e F e d e r a t i o n o f S a s k a t c h e w a n I n d i a n s , she had t h i s t o s a y about t h e K e r s h a w c o n c l u s i o n : "The C o m m i t t e e i s , i n my v i e w , n o t i n a p o s i t i o n t o r e a c h t h e c o n c l u s i o n s t h a t i t does i n p a r a . 118, w i t h - o u t h a v i n g a s k e d a v a r i e t y o f q u e s t i o n s i n r e l a t i o n t o Mr. F r e e l a n d ' s s t a t e m e n t q u o t e d i n p a r a . 117; and h a v i n g r e c e i v e d s a t i s f a c t o r y a n s w e r s t h e r e t o . H i s u n - c h a l l e n g e d s t a t e m e n t l e a v e s i t u n c l e a r ( i ) as t o w h i c h t r e a t y o b l i g a t i o n s t h e FCO r e g a r d e d a s no l o n g e r s u b - s i s t i n g a t t h e t i m e o f i n d e p e n d e n c e o r t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r ; ( i i ) a s t o what i s meant by t h e p h r a s e , " w i t h t h e a t t a i n m e n t o f i n d e p e n d e n c e , a t t h e l a t e s t w i t h t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r " ; ( i i i ) a s t o w h e t h e r t h e t r e a t i e s c o u l d , a s a m a t t e r o f c o n s t i t u t - i o n a l and i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w , have become t h e r e s p o n s - i b i l i t y o f t h e C a n a d i a n Government by v i r t u r e o f t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r ; ( i v ) as t o what manner, and by what p r o c e s s e s o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w , t h e t r e a t i e s a r e s a i d t o have come t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e C a n a d i a n Government by v i r t u e o f t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s m i n s t e r ; ( v ) a s t o w h e t h e r u n d e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w s u c h c o u l d o c c u r s i m p l y a s a m a t t e r i n t e r t h e Crown and t h e C a n a d i a n G o v e r n m e n t , w i t h o u t t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n n a t i o n s p a r t i e s t o t r e a t i e s c o n c e r n e d ; ( v i ) as t o w h e t h e r n o t i c e o f s u c h i n t e n t was even g i v e n t o the I n d i a n p a r t i e s t o t h e t r e a t i e s o r i s t o be deemed t o have been known and u n d e r s t o o d by them; ( v i i ) as t o w h e t h e r , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e I n d i a n n a t i o n s have n o t c o n t i n u e d t o t r e a t t h e t r e a t i e s , (which were made w i t h u n u s u a l l y e x p l i c i t r e f e r e n c e t o t h e i r b i n d i n g t h e Crown i n d e f i n i t e l y ) a s b i n d i n g t h e Crown and as e n g a g i n g t h e C a n a d i a n g o v e r n m e n t o n l y a s a g e n t f o r t h e Crown." The a p p r o a c h o f t h e Kershaw Committee r e f l e c t s a p a r t i c u l a r f o r m o f e x c l u s i o n e x p e r i e n c e d by t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s f o r c e n t u r i e s . The e x c l u s i o n i s i d e o l o g i c a l i n s o f a r as t h e - 34 - I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e assumed t o be so i n s i g n i f i c a n t p o l i t i c a l l y t h a t t h e i r p o i n t o f v i e w c a n be d i s m i s s e d o f f - h a n d e d l y w i t h o u t e v i d e n c e o r a h e a r i n g . I t i s a f o r m o f r a c i s m , w h i c h has been r e f l e c t e d i n l e a d i n g Commonwealth d e c i s i o n s i n v o l v i n g a b o r i g i n a l and t r e a t y r i g h t s . An e x a m p l e i s t h e case o f M i l i r r p u m v. N a b a l c o P a r t y L i m i t e d and Commonwealth o f A u s t r a l i a (1971) 17 F.L.R. 141 ( S . C . N . T . ) , a c a s e b r o u g h t i n the Supreme C o u r t o f t h e N o r t h e r n t e r r i t o r y o f A u s t r a l i a . The A b o r i g i n e s a l l e g e d t h a t t h e y had a l e g a l r i g h t o f p r o p e r t y a m o u n t i n g t o an e s t a t e o f f e e s i m p l e i n t h o s e l a n d s t h a t t h e y had t r a d i t i o n a l l y used and o c c u p i e d . The a c t i o n was b r o u g h t i n r e s p o n s e t o a m i n i n g o p e r a t i o n h a r m i n g t r a d i t i o n a l l a n d s w i t h o u t I n d i a n c o n s e n t . The P l a i n t i f f s i n t r o d u c e d complex e v i d e n c e t o e s t a b l i s h t h a t t h e y had l e g a l r i g h t s i n t h e i r l a n d a m o u n t i n g t o a p r o p e r t y i n t e r e s t e n t i t l i n g them t o t h e r e l i e f s o u g h t . A f t e r an e x h a u s t i v e e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e e v i d e n c e t h e J u d g e r u l e d t h a t the e v i d e n c e as t o t h e s o c i a l r u l e s and c u s t o m s showed: "A s u b t l e and e l a b o r a t e s y s t e m h i g h l y adapted t o the c o u n t r y i n w h i c h t h e p e o p l e l e d t h e i r l i v e s , w h i c h p r o v i d e d f o r a s t a b l e o r d e r o f s o c i e t y and was r e m a r k a b l y f r e e f r o m t h e v a g a r i e s o f p e r s o n a l whim o r i n f l u e n c e . . . . i f e v e r a s y s t e m c o u l d be c a l l e d 'a government o f l a w s , and n o t men' H i s Honour c o n c l u d e d ' i t i s shown i n t h e e v i d e n c e b e f o r e me" ( a t page 267) I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e C o u r t r u l e d t h a t the A b o r i g i n e s had a s y s t e m o f l a w and so t h e y were n o t t o o p r i m i t i v e o r b a r b a r i c t o be a c c o r d e d l e g a l r i g h t s a t common l a w . - 35 - The q u e s t i o n t h e n r e m a i n e d d i d the e x i s t e n c e o f t h e s y s t e m o f law mean t h a t t h e P l a i n t i f f s had r i g h t s t o t h e i r l a n d ? The A b o r i g i n e s ' r e l a t i o n s h i p t o the l a n d was d e s c r i b e d as f o l l o w s : "As I u n d e r s t a n d i t , t h e f u n d a m e n t a l t r u t h a b o u t t h e A b o r i g i n a l s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o the l a n d i s t h a t w h a t e v e r e l s e i t i s , i t i s a r e l i g i o u s r e l a t i o n s h i p . . . The p h y s i c a l and s p i r i t u a l u n i v e r s e s a r e n o t f e l t as d i s t i n c t . T h e r e i s an u n q u e s t i o n e d scheme o f t h i n g s i n w h i c h t h e s p i r i t a n c e s t o r s , the p e o p l e o f t h e c l a n , p a r t i c u l a r l a n d and e v e r y t h i n g t h a t e x i s t s on i t , a r e o r g a n i c p a r t s o f an i n d i s s o l u b l e w h o l e . . . I t i s n o t i n d i s p u t e t h a t e a c h c l a n r e g a r d s i t s e l f a s p i r i t u a l e n t i t y h a v i n g a r e l a t i o n s h i p t o p a r t i c u l a r p l a c e s o r a r e a s and h a v i n g a d u t y t o c a r e f o r and tend t h a t l a n d by means o f r i t u a l o b s e r v a n c e s . C e r t a i n s a c r e d o b j e c t s , c a l l e d Rangga a r e a t once s y m b o l s o f t h e c o n t i n u i t y o f t h e c l a n and t a n g i b l e i n d i c a t i o n s o f the r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e c l a n and c e r t a i n l a n d . These s a c r e d o b j e c t s a r e c l o s e l y g u a r d e d and shown o n l y t o t h o s e who may p r o p e r l y see them, and o n l y w i t h due s o l e m n i t y . " But c o u l d t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h the l a n d be d e s c r i b e d as a p r o p r i e t r y r e l a t i o n s h i p ? The J u d g e r u l e d no. "My t a s k i s t o e x a m i n e t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e c l a n t o t e r r i t o r y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h i t and t o d e c i d e w h e t h e r t h a t a s s o c i a t i o n i s a m a t t e r o f p r o p e r t y . In my v i e w , t h e p r o p e r p r o c e d u r e i s t o b e a r i n mind the c o n c e p t s o f p r o p e r t y i n o u r l a w and what I know o f o t h e r s y s t e m s w h i c h have t h e c o n c e p t as w e l l as my u n d e r s t a n d i n g p e r m i t s and l o o k a t t h e a b o r i g i n a l s y s t e m t o f i n d what t h e r e c o r r e s p o n d s t o o r r e s e m b l e s ' p r o p e r t y ' . " I n my o p i n i o n , t h e r e f o r e , t h e r e i s so l i t t l e r e s e m b l a n c e between p r o p e r t y i n o u r law o r what I know any o t h e r law u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t t e r m and the c l a i m s o f t h e P l a i n t i f f s f o r t h e i r c l a n s t h a t I must h o l d t h a t t h e s e c l a i m s a r e n o t i n t h e n a t u r e o f a p r o p r i e t a r y i n t e r e s t . " I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e J u d g e r u l e d t h a t the I n d i a n N a t i o n s - 36 - had no p r o p e r t y r i g h t s b e c a u s e t h e I n d i a n v i e w o f p r o p e r t y was d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h a t o f t h e c o l o n i z e r s . The I n d i a n v i e w was assumed t o be i n f e r i o r and u n e n f o r c a b l e . A d i f f e r e n t b u t r e l a t e d example i s found i n t h e R e p o r t o f t h e S p e c i a l S t a n d i n g Committee a p p o i n t e d t o i n q u i r e i n t o t h e c l a i m s o f t h e A l l i e d I n d i a n T r i b e s o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a i n 1927. The A l l i e d T r i b e s had p r e s s e d t o have Canada r e f e r t h e i r c a s e t o t h e J u d i c i a l C o m m i t t e e o f t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l , a r g u i n g t h a t t h e y c o n t i n u e d t o have a b o r i g i n a l t i t l e t o t h e s o i l o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a . C a n a d a b l o c k e d t h e r e q u e s t by e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e S p e c i a l S t a n d i n g C o m m i t t e e . The S t a n d i n g Committee d e c i d e d t h a t no a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s e x i s t e d i n B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a . They based t h e i r f i n d i n g , i n p a r t , on t h e argument t h a t t h e B.C. I n d i a n s had been c o n q u e r e d . I n t h e a b s e n c e o f I n d i a n o r any o t h e r e v i d e n c e on t h i s p o i n t , t h e y c o n c l u d e d : I t i s c l a i m e d t h a t no c o n q u e s t had e v e r been made o f t h e t e r r i t o r y o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a . The h i s t o r i c r e c o r d s would seem t o i n d i c a t e t h a t t h i s i s n o t a c c u r a t e . A l l t h e p o s t s o f t h e Hudson's Bay Company were f o r t i f i e d and t h e o f f i c e r s and s e r v a n t s o f t h e Company were p r e p a r e d t o r e s i s t h o s t i l e a t t a c k s . When a f o r t was e s t a b l i s h e d a t V i c t o r i a a band o f C o w i c h a n I n d i a n s u n d e r C h i e f T z o u h a l e n s e i z e d and s l a u g h t e r e d s e v e r a l a n i m a l s b e l o n g i n g t o t h e w h i t e s . The o f f i c i a l i n c h a r g e , R o d e r i c k F i n l a y s o n , demanded payment f o r t h e a n i m a l s w h i c h was p r e m p t o r i l y r e f u s e d . I n t h i s a c t i o n C h i e f T z o u h a l e n was u p h e l d by C h i e f T s i l a t c h a c h o f t h e Songhees and t h e I n d i a n s a t t a c k e d t h e f o r t , b u t were e a s i l y o v e r - a w e d by a r t i l l e r y and l a t e r a p p r o a c h e d t h e f o r t t o sue f o r p e a c e . The h i s t o r i c r e c o r d s c o n t a i n numerous o t h e r l i k e r e f e r e n c e s . The f o r t j u s t - 37 - m e n t i o n e d was e s t a b l i s h e d a t V i c t o r i a i n 1848, and i n 1849 V a n c o u v e r was made a Crown C o l o n y . B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a ( t h e m a i n l a n d and Queen C h a r l o t t e I s l a n d s ) was made a Crown C o l o n y i n 1 8 5 8 , and t h e two c o l o n i e s were u n i t e d i n 1866. B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a e n t e r e d C o n f e d e r a t i o n on t h e 2 0 t h J u l y , 1 8 7 1 . I n o t h e r words Canada c l a i m e d t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s ' t r a d i t i o n a l t e r r i t o r y o n t h e b a s i s o f an u n r e l a t e d e p i s o d e on V a n c o u v e r I s l a n d i n v o l v i n g t h e s l a u g h t e r o f s e v e r a l a n i m a l s . I f i t w e r e n ' t s o s a d , i t m i g h t be f u n n y . 4. Development o f a L e g a l C a s e i n L o n d o n : P r e l i m i n a r y work I n F e b r u a r y 1 9 8 1 , l a w y e r s f r o m t h e U n i o n o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a I n d i a n C h i e f s j o u r n e y e d t o London f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e t o i n v e s t i g a t e i n i t i a t i n g l e g a l p r o c e e d i n g s i n B r i t a i n . The 1981 j o u r n e y c o n t i n u e d a p r o c e s s f o r t h e B.C. C h i e f s w h i c h began i n 1 906. I n t h a t y e a r t h r e e C h i e f s f r o m B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a went t o B r i t a i n t o p l a c e t h e i r c l a i m s b e f o r e H i s M a j e s t y K i n g Edward V I I . I n t h e i r p e t i t i o n t h e y c o m p l a i n e d t h a t t h e t i t l e t o t h e i r l a n d had n e v e r been e x t i n g u i s h e d ; t h a t w h i t e men had s e t t l e d on t h e i r l a n d a g a i n s t t h e i r w i s h e s and t h a t a l l a p p e a l s t o t h e C a n a d i a n government had p r o v e n u s e l e s s . I n 1909 t h e C o w i c h a n I n d i a n s a p p e a l e d t o t h e I m p e r i a l g o v e r n m e n t t o r e f e r t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e i l l e g a l e x p r o p r i a t i o n o f t h e i r l a n d s t o t h e J u d i c i a l Committee o f t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l f o r d e t e r m i n a t i o n , r e l y i n g as t h e y d i d , on t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1 763. The m a t t e r was n o t - 38 - r e f e r r e d t o t h e J u d i c i a l C o m m i t t e e . I n s t e a d , a J o i n t R o y a l C o m m i s s i o n on I n d i a n A f f a i r s i n B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a was e s t a b l i s h e d to examine t h e u n r e s o l v e d l a n d q u e s t i o n s . A l t h o u g h t h e s c o p e o f t h e C o m m i s s i o n c o u l d have i n c l u d e d t h e i s s u e o f a b o r i g i n a l t i t l e , t h e P r e m i e r o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a r e f u s e d t o d i s c u s s t h e q u e s t i o n o r s u p p o r t a r e f e r e n c e o f i t by way o f s t a t e d c a s e t o t h e c o u r t s . I n 1913 t h e N i s h g a I n d i a n s f u r t h e r p e t i t i o n e d t h e K i n g r e q u e s t i n g t h a t t h e q u e s t i o n o f a b o r i g i n a l t i t l e be s u b m i t t e d t o the J u d i c i a l C o m m i t t e e o f t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l . On J u n e 20, 1914 the F e d e r a l Government p a s s e d an O r d e r - i n - C o u n c i l a g r e e i n g t o s u b m i t t h e I n d i a n c l a i m s t o the E x c h e q u e r C o u r t o f C a n a d a w i t h t h e r i g h t o f a p p e a l t o t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l , p r o v i d e d t h a t t h e I n d i a n s a g r e e i n a d v a n c e t h a t i f t h e y were s u c c e s s f u l , t h e i r r i g h t s would be e x t i n g u i s h e d and t h e y w o u l d a c c e p t t h e R o y a l C o m m i s s i o n f i n d i n g s on t h e a l l o t m e n t o f R e s e r v e s . The I n d i a n N a t i o n s r e f u s e d t o a c c e p t t h e s e c o n d i t i o n s . The R o y a l C o m m i s s i o n c o n c l u d e d i t s work w i t h the r e d u c t i o n o f I n d i a n r e s e r v e l a n d by 47,058 a c r e s v a l u e d a t $1,522,704.00 and t h e a d d i t i o n o f 87,292 a c r e s o f new r e s e r v e s v a l u e d a t $444,853.00. The E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r o f t h e A l l i e d T r i b e s i n r e f u s i n g t o c o n s e n t t o t h e C o m m i s s i o n ' s c o n c l u s i o n s , s t a t e d , " t h e y t o o k away good l a n d and gave us bad l a n d i n e x c h a n g e " . T h u s , i n 1919 and 1926 the A l l i e d T r i b e s o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a c o n t i n u e d t o p r e s s f o r a r e f e r e n c e t o t h e J u d i c i a l Committee o f t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l . A s p e c i a l J o i n t Committee o f t h e S e n a t e and House o f Commons was a p p o i n t e d t o e n q u i r e i n t o t h i s - 39 - P e t i t i o n and h e l d t h a t as t h e I n d i a n s were n o t p r e p a r e d t o a c c e p t t h e r e f e r e n c e t o the P r i v y C o u n c i l on t h e b a s i s t h a t t h e y would a g r e e t o t h e e x t i n g u i s h m e n t o f t h e i r c l a i m s and a c c e p t the f i n d i n g s o f t h e R e s e r v e C o m m i s s i o n e r s " t h e m a t t e r s h o u l d be r e g a r d e d as f i n a l l y c l o s e d " . The f o l l o w i n g y e a r an amendment was p a s s e d t o t h e I n d i a n A c t m a k i n g i t an o f f e n s e , p u n i s h a b l e by i m p r i s o n m e n t , t o r a i s e money t o p r e s s f o r l a n d c l a i m s . The law r e m a i n e d e f f e c t i v e f o r a q u a r t e r o f a c e n t u r y . In 1 979 the C h i e f s f r o m v a r i o u s p a r t s o f Canada i n c l u d i n g B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a made a n o t h e r t r e c k t o B r i t a i n , s e e k i n g t h e Queen's j u s t i c e i n t h i s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l d e b a t e . The F e d e r a l C a b i n e t used b l o c k i n g t a c t i c s a g a i n by i n s t r u c t i n g the Queen n o t t o meet w i t h the I n d i a n d e l e g a t i o n s . B e t w e e n F e b r u a r y 1981 and A u g u s t 1981 a l e g a l team was o r g a n i z e d and p r e l i m i n a r y o p i n i o n s were o b t a i n e d c o n c e r n i n g the f e a s i b i l i t y o f t a k i n g a l e g a l c a s e t h r o u g h t h e H i g h C o u r t . P r o f e s s o r I a n B r o w n l i e , QC, D.C.L.F.B.A., was r e t a i n e d as a d v i s o r . P r o f e s s o r B r o w n l i e was c h o s e n as a r e s u l t o f b r i l l i a n t work w h i c h he had done f o r t h e Dene N a t i o n on the q u e s t i o n o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . He a d v a n c e d the t h e o r y t h a t i t was p o s s i b l e f o r a n a t i o n w i t h i n a n a t i o n t o e x e r c i s e r i g h t s o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n - a t i o n . T h i s c o n c e p t i s an improvement on t h e c u r r e n t t h i n k i n g w h i c h a s s e r t s t h a t f o r a n a t i o n t o " d e c o l o n i z e " i t must be g e o g r a p h i c a l l y s e p a r a t e f r o m t h e mother c o u n t r y . S o l i c i t o r s were H e r b e r t Oppenheimer - N a t h a n & Vandyk. B a r r i s t e r s J o h n MacDonald Q.C. and C o l i n Braham were added t o the team. - 40 - I n t h e summer o f 1 9 8 1 , l a w y e r s f r o m t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s a t t e n d e d a c o n f e r e n c e on t h e q u e s t i o n o f p a t r i a t i o n o f t h e C a n a d i a n C o n s t i t u t i o n s p o n s o r e d by A l l S o u l s C o l l e g e . The I n d i a n a r g u m e n t s were added t o t h e d e b a t e . M e a n w h i l e , a l e g a l r e s e a r c h team c o m p r i s e d o f f i v e l a w y e r s , two o f whom t a u g h t l a w a t UBC, worked t o g e t h e r f o r an i n t e n s e month g a t h e r i n g t o g e t h e r t h e r e l e v a n t l a w needed t o a d v a n c e t h e I n d i a n arguments i n t h e B r i t i s h C o u r t s . By t h e end o f A u g u s t a l e g a l case i n London seemed i m p r o b a b l e . The c o s t s were p r o h i b i t i v e . A l l work on t h a t f r o n t s t o p p e d . 5. The Memorandum o f Law s u b m i t t e d t o S i r M i c h a e l H a v e r s , O c t o b e r 1981 Due t o a l a c k o f f u n d s a d e c i s i o n was t a k e n t o r e q u e s t t h r o u g h a Memorandum o f Law a d d r e s s e d t o t h e A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l t h a t t h e i s s u e o f I n d i a n c o n s e n t be r e f e r r e d t o t h e J u d i c i a l C o m m i t t e e o f t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l f o r O p i n i o n . T h a t body r e t a i n s j u r i s d i c t i o n t o h e a r s u c h m a t t e r s by way o f r e f e r e n c e ; and t h e R e q u e s t was t o t h e B r i t i s h Government t o recommend s u c h a r e q u e s t . I n s o f a r as t h e A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l had power t o r e f r a i n f r o m p l a c i n g b e f o r e P a r l i a m e n t a B i l l w h i c h was l e g a l l y f l a w e d , i t was hoped t h a t t h i s Memorandum c o u l d g i v e t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s o f f i c e s r e a s o n t o r e f u s e C a n a d a ' s r e q u e s t . - 41 - Two Memoranda were p r e s e n t e d t o a s e n i o r l a w y e r i n t h e O f f i c e s o f t h e A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l . The documents were s u b m i t t e d u n d e r t h e s i g n a t u r e o f P r o f e s s o r I a n B r o w n l i e and o t h e r C a n a d i a n l a w y e r s . One Memorandum o u t l i n e d o b j e c t i o n s t o t h e R e q u e s t f r o m t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s ; t h e second p r e s e n t e d t h e P r o v i n c i a l argument. A l t h o u g h t h e r e was no b a s i s f o r a l l i a n c e between t h e P r o v i n c e s and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s , e a c h had s t r o n g a r g u m e n t s t o b l o c k t h e R e q u e s t and t h e s u c c e s s o f one w o u l d be t o t h e b e n e f i t o f t h e o t h e r . The Memorandum was used as a v e h i c l e t o l o b b y members o f t h e House o f Commons and t h e House o f L o r d s . A word on t h e l o b b y i n London. By J u n e , 1981 t h e U n i o n o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a C h i e f s had a f u l l t i m e s t a f f p e r s o n i n London d e d i c a t e d t o t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f a P a r l i a m e n t a r y l o b b y . The t a s k was immense - o v e r 600 M.P.s and o v e r 1 , 000 L o r d s . A s y s t e m a t i c a p p r o a c h was t a k e n t o t h e s e t t i n g up o f a p p o i n t m e n t s : p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s and g o v e r n m e n t a l c o m m i t t e e s were a p p r o a c h e d f i r s t , t h e n t h e N a t i o n a l i s t P a r t y , s e l e c t e d members o f t h e London P a r t y , members o f t h e K e r s h a w C o m m i t t e e , t h e A r c h b i s h o p o f C a n t e r b u r y and members o f t h e L o r d s . A l l t h e l a w y e r s i n b o t h h o u s e s were a p p r o a c h e d i n an e f f o r t t o c i r c u l a t e t h e l e g a l a r g u m e n t . C h i e f s came i n waves, a t t e n d i n g t h e a p p o i n t m e n t s w h i c h had been c o n f i r m e d and b a t t l i n g t h e f a n t a s t i c i g n o r a n c e a b o u t - 42 - Canada i n g e n e r a l and I n d i a n s i n p a r t i c u l a r . A t one m e e t i n g w h i c h was j o i n t l y a t t e n d e d by S a s k a t c h e w a n and B.C. d e l e g a t e s , t h e M.P. t u r n e d t o t h e I n d i a n s and a s k e d where t h e y came f r o m . A C h i e f r e p l i e d , " S a s k a t o o n , S a s k a t c h e w a n " . The M.P. t u r n e d t o h i s r e s e a r c h e r and s a i d , a l a r m e d , "They do n o t s p e a k E n g l i s h " . The C o n s t i t u t i o n E x p r e s s a r r i v e d i n B r i t a i n b r i n g i n g h u n d r e d s o f I n d i a n s t o W e s t m i n s t e r t o h o l d a P o t l a t c h , c e l e b r a t i n g t i e s w i t h t h e Crown. The S a s k a t c h e w a n C h i e f s c o m p l e t e d a c u l t u r a l t o u r o u t s i d e o f London. G r a d u a l l y t h e l o b b y opened up and t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s was an a s s u m p t i o n . By November M.P.s were a s k i n g what o b j e c t i o n s t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s had w i t h t h e Canada A c t and by F e b r u a r y t h e y were a s k i n g what t h e y c o u l d do s p e c i f i c a l l y . A l t h o u g h u l t i m a t e l y u n s u c c e s s f u l i n c o n v i n c i n g t h e B r i t i s h Government o r t h e P a r l i a m e n t t h a t t h e m a t t e r s h o u l d be r e f e r r e d t o t h e J u d i c i a l Committee o f t h e P r i v y C o u n c i l , t h e d e b a t e i n W e s t m i n s t e r r e f l e c t e d i n t h e H a n s a r d s i s a t r i b u t e t o t h e f a n t a s t i c e f f o r t t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s s u c c e s s f u l l y p u t i n t o t h e l o b b y . T w e n t y - s e v e n o f t h e t h i r t y h o u r s used i n d e b a t i n g o f t h e Canada A c t i n b o t h h o u s e s d e a l t w i t h t h e I n d i a n q u e s t i o n . S p e a k e r s f r o m a l l p a r t i e s spoke e l o q u e n t l y and i n f o r m a t i v e l y a b o u t t h e i s s u e s . Mr. C h r e t i e n e x p r e s s e d anger when C l i n t o n D a v i s compared t h e s i t u a t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s t o E l S a l v a d o r . The d e b a t e i n the House o f Commons went an e x t r a - 43 - s i t t i n g b e c a u s e by 10:30 p.m. o n t h e f i r s t n i g h t o f s e c o n d r e a d i n g , s t r o n g d e b a t e c o n t i n u e d o v e r t h e I n d i a n q u e s t i o n . F o r t y - f o u r M.P.s v o t e d a g a i n s t t h e Canada B i l l on t h e f i r s t r e a d i n g , many h a v i n g e x p r e s s e d sympathy w i t h t h e I n d i a n s . A l m o s t 1/3 o f t h o s e who v o t e d o n s e c o n d r e a d i n g , v o t e d a g a i n s t t h e B i l l . The l a s t word on t h e Canada B i l l i n t h e House o f L o r d s was e x p r e s s e d by a C a n a d i a n who t h r e w p a p e r s f r o m t h e g a l l e r y s h o u t i n g t h a t t h e Canada B i l l was p a s s e d on t h e b a c k s o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . He was t a k e n b o d i l y f r o m t h e House. I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g how D a v i d E n n s , M.P., summed up what he u n d e r s t o o d t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s were a s k i n g i n W e s t m i n s t e r : "The I n d i a n s a r e n o t a s k i n g f o r m a t e r i a l a s s i s t a n c e f r o m us o r f o r money. They a r e a s k i n g us t o e n s u r e , as we p r o m i s e d , t h a t t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l s t a t u s i s p r o t e c t e d i n t h e renewed C a n a d i a n F e d e r a t i o n . They have a s k e d us f o r t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l t o o l s t o e n a b l e them t o d e v e l o p t h e i r own n a t i o n h o o d , t h e i r own forms o f s e l f - g o v e r n m e n t and t o p r e s e r v e t h e i r t r a d i t i o n s . " Such c l a r i t y c o n t r a s t s s h a r p l y w i t h t h a t o f t h e T r u d e a u government w h i c h s a i d t h r o u g h o u t t h e d e b a t e t h a t i t c o u l d n o t h e l p t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s b e c a u s e t h e y j u s t d i d n o t u n d e r s t a n d what the I n d i a n N a t i o n s w a n t e d . 6. The l e g a l A c t i o n i n B r i t a i n on t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n By m i d - J a n u a r y 1 9 8 2 , t h r e e s e p a r a t e l e g a l a c t i o n s were - 44 - b r o u g h t by C h i e f s r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e i r Bands from t h e p r o v i n c e s o f A l b e r t a , New B r u n s w i c k , Nova S c o t i a , O n t a r i o , M a n i t o b a , S a s k a t c h e w a n , B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a and t h e N o r t h West T e r r i t o r i e s . The A c t i o n The Queen v. The S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r F o r e i g n and Commonwealth A f f a i r s , R o y a l C o u r t s o f J u s t i c e , J a n u a r y 28, 1982 i s c a l l e d t h e A l b e r t a C a s e . The A c t i o n C h i e f R o b e r t M a n u e l and O t h e r s and Her M a j e s t y ' s A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l , R o y a l C o u r t s o f J u s t i c e May 7, 1 982 i s c a l l e d t h e C h i e f s ' Case. The A c t i o n N o l t c h o and O t h e r s and Her M a j e s t y ' s A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l , R o y a l C o u r t s o f J u s t i c e May 7, 1982 i s c a l l e d t h e S a s k a t c h e w a n C a s e . U n q u e s t i o n a b l y i t w o u l d have been p r e f e r r a b l e f o r the I n d i a n N a t i o n s o f Canada t o have l a u n c h e d one l e g a l a c t i o n . A l t h o u g h t h e r e was a s u b s t a n t i a l measure o f agreement among t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g t h e i r p o s i t i o n on t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n , i n t e n s e i d e a l o g i c a l d e b a t e c o n t i n u e d among the I n d i a n N a t i o n s on t h e d e g r e e t o w h i c h t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e s o v e r e i g n , and the r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s t o t h e Government o f Canada. The d i v i s i o n s o f o p i n i o n on t h e s e p o i n t s have been n u r t u r e d f o r o v e r a c e n t u r y by t h e f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t who c o n t i n u e s a p o l i c y o f r e w a r d i n g " c o - o p e r a t i v e b a n d s " a t t h e expense o f t h o s e bands who r e f u s e t o bend t o Government p o l i c y . The two p o l e s o f t h e d e b a t e r a n g e f r o m s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o a s s i m i l a t i o n . The l e g a l a c t i o n s r e f l e c t a d i f f e r e n c e o f v i e w w i t h r e g a r d s t o t h a t a r g u m e n t . I n a d d i t i o n , g r o u p s competed w i t h e a c h o t h e r t o - 45 - a d v a n c e " b e t t e r a r g u m e n t s " . On a more p o s i t i v e n o t e , e a c h c a s e t o o k a d i f f e r e n t a p p r o a c h and one a p p r o a c h o r o t h e r may have s u c c e e d e d . T h i s r e a s o n i n g was c e r t a i n l y a p a r t o f t h e s t r a t e g y f o r t h e P r o v i n c i a l r e f e r e n c e s , where t h r e e d i f f e r e n t c a s e s were a d v a n c e d . (A) The A l b e r t a Case The A l b e r t a Case c h a l l e n g e d t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e F o r e i g n and Commonwealth O f f i c e t h a t a l l o b l i g a t i o n s t o t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s had become o b l i g a t i o n s i n r i g h t o f Canada by 1931. The c a s e p r o c e e d e d o n t h e l a w a l o n e , w i t h o u t t h e b e n e f i t o f I n d i a n w i t n e s s e s . A d m i s s i o n s were made b y l a w y e r s f o r t h e I n d i a n s t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s were n o t i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r e a t i e s . T h e r e was no e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e C o u r t s , f r o m t h e I n d i a n s i d e , as t o why t h e y c o n c l u d e d t r e a t y , w i t h whom t h e y t h o u g h t t h e y were t r e a t i n g o r what r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s had been made t o them c o n c e r n i n g t h e t r e a t y . The a r g u m e n t , s q u a r e l y p u t , was t h a t as a m a t t e r o f l a w , o b l i g a t i o n s had been u n d e r t a k e n b y t h e B r i t i s h Crown w h i c h had n e v e r d e v o l v e d t o Canada. T h i s i s s o b e c a u s e Canada's s o v e r e i g n t y i s b u r d e n e d by t h e U n i t e d Kingdom P a r l i a m e n t ' s power t o amend t h e B.N.A. A c t . The l e g a l o p i n i o n o f L o u i s B l a m - C o o p e r , Q.C. was t h a t t h e a c t i o n w o u l d f a i l , b u t t h e a c t i o n may have p o l i t i c a l v a l u e . He s t r e s s e d t h a t s e c t i o n 40 o f t h e Crown P r o c e e d i n g s A c t 1947 - 46 - empowered t h e B r i t i s h Government t o i s s u e a c e r t i f i c a t e b l o c k i n g any a c t i o n where o b l i g a t i o n s a r e a l l e g e d t o a r i s e i n r e s p e c t o f t h e B r i t i s h Crown. The C o u r t o f A p p e a l h e a r d t h e a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a week. I t was a shame t h a t t h e a r g u m e n t s f o r t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s were so p o o r l y d e v e l o p e d by t h e E n g l i s h l e g a l team r e t a i n e d by t h e I n d i a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f A l b e r t a . I n t h e e n d , t h e C o u r t f o u n d t h a t t h e Crown o b l i g a t i o n s were i n C a n a d a . On c l o s e r e a d i n g o f t h e c a s e , i t i s c l e a r t h a t t h e J u d g e s c o u l d n o t d e v e l o p a c o h e r e n t t h e o r y t o e x p l a i n t h e d e v o l u t i o n o f a g r e e m e n t s t o C a n a d a . Nor c o u l d t h e y e x p l a i n how a g r e e m e n t s c o u l d o r i g i n a t e w i t h t h e B r i t i s h Crown but be t e r m i n a t e d by t h e C a n a d i a n Government w i t h o u t t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . T h r e e J u d g e s a t t h e C o u r t o f A p p e a l e a c h had an e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t r e a s o n f o r s a y i n g t h a t o b l i g a t i o n s o f t h e Crown t o t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s were i n Canada. C h i e f J u s t i c e D e n n i n g s e t s o u t t h e t r e a t i e s were made w i t h t h e B r i t i s h Crown. A t t h a t t i m e t h e Crown was s i n g l e and i n d i v i s i b l e . B u t s a y s L o r d D e n n i n g , t h a t l a w was c h a n g e d i n t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h e c e n t u r y - n o t by s t a t u t e , b u t by c o n s t i t u t i o n a l usage and p r a c t i s e . The Crown became s e p a r a t e and d i v i s i b l e . T h i s was r e c o g n i z e d by t h e I m p e r i a l c o n f e r e n c e s o f 1926 and f i n a l l y t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r gave l e g a l f o r c e t o t h a t r u l e . As a r e s u l t , L o r d D e n n i n g s t a t e d t h a t t h e o b l i g a t i o n s o f t h e Crown t o t h e I n d i a n - 47 - N a t i o n s t r a n s f e r r e d t o Canada w i t h o u t r e q u i r i n g t h e f o r m a l c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The B r i t i s h o r t h e C a n a d i a n . T h i s t h e o r y may be c a l l e d t h e t r a n s f e r t h e o r y . "Now a t t h e t i m e when t h e Crown e n t e r e d i n t h e o b l i g a t i o n u n d e r t h e 1763 p r o c l a m a t i o n o r t h e t r e a t i e s , t h e Crown was i n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l a w one and i n d i v i s i b l e . I t ' s o b l i g a t i o n s were o b l i g a t i o n s i n r e s p e c t t o t h e Government o f t h e U n i t e d Kingdom as w e l l as i n r e s p e c t o f C a n a d a , C. W i l l i a m s v s H o w a r t h (1905) A.C. 551. B u t , now t h a t t h e Crown i s s e p a r a t e and i n d i v i s i b l e , I t h i n k t h a t t h e o b l i g a t i o n s u n d e r t h e P r o c l a m a t i o n and t h e T r e a t i e s a r e o b l i g a t i o n s o f t h e Crown i n r e s p e c t o f Canada. They a r e n o t o b l i g a t i o n s o f t h e Crown i n r e s p e c t o f t h e U n i t e d Kingdom. I t i s , t h e r e f o r e , n o t p e r m i s s i b l e f o r t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s t o b r i n g an a c t i o n i n t h i s c o u n t r y t o e n f o r c e t h e s e o b l i g a t i o n s . T h e i r o n l y r e c o u r s e i s i n t h e c o u r t s o f Canada." Mr. J u s t i c e K e r r does n o t a c c e p t t h e t r a n s f e r t h e o r y a d v a n c e d by L o r d D e n n i n g b u t a d v a n c e s a n o t h e r argument. He r u l e s t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s were made w i t h t h e Crown i n r i g h t o f Canada. He r e l i e s upon t h e f a c t t h a t s i n c e 1 867 t h e r e was i n p l a c e a Government i n Canada and t h e o b l i g a t i o n s were w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h a t G o v e r n m e n t . He s a y s t h e q u e s t i o n o f i n d e p e n d e n c e d o e s n o t m a t t e r . " . . . t h e s i t u s o f s u c h r i g h t s and o b l i g a t i o n s r e s t s w i t h t h e o v e r s e a s Government w i t h i n t h e r e a l m o f t h e Crown, and n o t w i t h i n r i g h t o r r e s p e c t o f t h e U n i t e d Kingdom, e v e n t h o u g h t h e powers o f s u c h G o v e r n m e n t s f a l l a v e r y l o n g way b e l o w t h e l e v e l o f i n d e p e n d e n c e . I n d e e d , i n d e p e n d e n c e , o r t h e d e g r e e o f i n d e p e n d e n c e , i s w h o l l y i r r e l e v a n t t o t h e i s s u e , b e c a u s e i t i s c l e a r t h a t r i g h t s and o b l i g a t i o n s o f t h e Crown w i l l a r i s e e x c l u s i v e l y i n r i g h t o r i n r e s p e c t o f any g o v e r n m e n t o u t s i d e t h e bounds o f t h e - 48 - U n i t e d Kingdom a s s o o n as i t c a n be seen t h a t t h e r e i s an e s t a b l i s h e d Government o f t h e Crown i n t h e o v e r s e a s t e r r i t o r y i n q u e s t i o n . I n r e l a t i o n t o Canada t h i s had c l e a r l y happened by 1867." P u t s i m p l y , H i s L o r d s h i p s a y s t h a t i f y o u have a g o v e r n m e n t i n a p l a c e and t h e r e a r e o b l i g a t i o n s i n r e s p e c t o f t h a t c o u n t r y , t h e o b l i g a t i o n s a r i s e i n r e s p e c t o f t h a t Government. Thus, L o r d J u s t i c e K e r r d i s a g r e e s w i t h L o r d D e n n i n g on t h r e e p o i n t s . F i r s t , L o r d D e n n i n g s a y s t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s were made w i t h t h e Crown o f B r i t a i n , and L o r d J u s t i c e K e r r s a y s t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s were made w i t h C a n a d a ; L o r d J u s t i c e D e n n i n g s a y s t h a t i n d e p e n d e n c e i s t h e k e y t o t h e Crown d i v i d i n g ; L o r d J u s t i c e K e r r s a y s t h a t i n d e p e n d e n c e h a s n o t h i n g t o do w i t h i t . L o r d J u s t i c e D e n n i n g s a y s t h a t t h e Crown o b l i g a t i o n d e v o l v e d t o C a n a d a a t l e a s t by 1931; L o r d J u s t i c e K e r r s a y s t h a t t h e o b l i g a t i o n s were w i t h Canada a t l e a s t by 1867. L o r d J u s t i c e May a d v a n c e s a d i f f e r e n t t h e o r y . He s a i d t h a t i n d e p e n d e n c e i s t h e k e y t o t h e q u e s t i o n . As s o o n as Canada became i n d e p e n d e n t w i t h t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r 1 9 3 1 , any t r e a t y t h e Crown had c o n c l u d e d w i t h t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e s i n r i g h t o f t h e U n i t e d Kingdom became t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f Canada w i t h t h e a t t a i n m e n t o f i n d e p e n d e n c e . "As a r e s u l t o f t h i s p r o c e s s and on t h e a u t h o r i t i e s t o w h i c h I r e f e r r e d , I have no d o u b t t h a t a n y t r e a t y o r o t h e r o b l i g a t i o n the Crown had e n t e r e d i n t o w i t h t h e I n d i a n - 49 - p e o p l e s o f Canada i n r i g h t o f t h e U n i t e d Kingdom had become t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e Government o f C a n a d a w i t h t h e a t a i n m e n t o f i n d e p e n d e n c e , a t t h e l a t e s t w i t h the S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r o f 1931." L o r d J u s t i c e May a g r e e s w i t h L o r d D e n n i n g t h a t 1931 i s a c r u c i a l d a t e b u t he f o u n d e d h i s r e a s o n i n g on an e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t b a s i s . L o r d D e n n i n g s a y s t h a t t h e t r e a t y e v o l v e d as a r e s u l t o f t h e Crown d i v i d i n g ; L o r d J u s t i c e May s a y s t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s became t h e o b l i g a t i o n s o f Canada when Canada a t t a i n e d i n d e p e n d e n c e . L o r d J u s t i c e K e r r d i d n o t r e l y upon e i t h e r o f t h o s e two d a t e s b u t s a i d t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s b e l o n g e d t o Canada b e c a u s e i t was w i t h Canada t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s were o r i g i n a l l y c o n t r a c t e d . The c a s e was r e f u s e d l e a v e t o a p p e a l t o t h e House o f L o r d s . L o r d D i p l o c k , i n d e l i v e r i n g t h e judgment f o r t h e C o u r t , s a i d t h a t f o r a l l o f t h e a c c u m u l a t e d r e a s o n s s t a t e d i n t h e C o u r t o f A p p e a l ' s d e c i s i o n s , t h e m a t t e r i s s e t t l e d . The House o f L o r d s d e c i s i o n amounts t o a new e x a m p l e o f how t h e I n d i a n argument was b l o c k e d . (B) The S a s k a t c h e w a n C a s e The S a s k a t c h e w a n Case a s k e d w h e t h e r the S a s k a t c h e w a n T r e a t i e s were b i n d i n g on t h e B r i t i s h Crown and w h e t h e r t h e y - 50 - impose o b l i g a t i o n s w h i c h c o n s t i t u t e t r u s t s w h i c h r e m a i n i n f u l l f o r c e and e f f e c t . U n l i k e t h e A l b e r t a C a s e , the S a s k a t c h e w a n Case w o u l d p r o c e e d on I n d i a n e v i d e n c e r a t h e r t h a n l a w a l o n e . The c r u c i a l f a c t s w h i c h were p u t i n i s s u e i n the the S a s k a t c h e w a n C a s e , as d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e A l b e r t a Case were: 1. The T r e a t i e s were c o n c l u d e d w i t h the B r i t i s h Crown as p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t Canada. The I n d i a n N a t i o n s w o u l d n e v e r have c o n c l u d e d a t r e a t y w i t h Canada. 2. ' R e p r e s e n t a t i o n s were made t o the I n d i a n s t h a t the t r e a t y was w i t h B r i t a i n and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s e n t e r e d i n t o a t r e a t y on t h i s b a s i s . 3. The t r e a t i e s were i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r e a t i e s . A l l o f t h e s e f a c t s t a k e n t o g e t h e r p l a c e the S a s k a t c h e w a n Case on a d i f f e r e n t f o o t i n g t h a n the A l b e r t a Case on t h e s o v e r e i g n t y q u e s t i o n . The c o n c e s s i o n i n t h e A l b e r t a Case t h a t t h e t r e a t i e s were n o t i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r e a t i e s can be c o n s t r u e d so as t o deny t h e f u l l s c o p e o f s o v e r e i g n t y p o s s e s s e d by t h e I n d i a n s . F u r t h e r , t h e r e l i a n c e i n the S a s k a t c h e w a n Case on I n d i a n e v i d e n c e r a t h e r t h a n l a w d e m o n s t r a t e s a d i f f e r e n t v i e w o f where t h e power o f t h e argument a r i s e s . The S a s k a t c h e w a n Case p u t t h e power w i t h t h e I n d i a n P e o p l e . The d i f f e r e n c e o f a p p r o a c h was r e p r e s e n t e d a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e A l b e r t a C a s e . N o t i c e had been s e r v e d on S a s k a t c h e w a n t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e A l b e r t a Case. The i n v i t a t i o n was d e c l i n e d i n C o u r t on the b a s i s t h a t I n d i a n e v i d e n c e was r e q u i r e d t o g e t t o the b o t t o m o f the c a s e . B o t h t h e A l b e r t a Case and t h e S a s k a t c h e w a n Case were - 51 - f r a m e d i n t e r m s o f Crown o b l i g a t i o n s and were v u l n e r a b l e t o be s t r u c k u n d e r t h e Crown P r o c e e d i n g s A c t . The Canada A c t was p r o c l a i m e d A p r i l 17. On A p r i l 20, t h e B r i t i s h Govenrment b r o u g h t t h e S a s k a t c h e w a n Case t o C o u r t t o s t r i k e i t on t h e b a s i s t h a t t h e i s s u e s had been d e c i d e d i n t h e A l b e r t a C a s e . I n s p i t e o f t h e d i f f e r e n c e o f f a c t s p l e a d e d i n t h e two c a s e s , and n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e r e a l l a c k o f d e c i s i o n i n t h e A l b e r t a C a s e , J u d g e M c G a r r y r u l e d t o s t r i k e the S a s k a t c h e w a n Case and r e l i e d on L o r d D i p l o c k ' s d e c i s i o n i n t h e House o f L o r d s . " I n t h e r e s u l t , my c o n c l u s i o n i s t h a t t h e A l b e r t a Case i s d e c i s i v e o f t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , d e s p i t e t h e s u g g e s t e d d i s t i n c t i o n s , and t h a t t h e l a n g u a g e o f emphasis o f t h e A p p e a l C o m m i t t e e i n t h a t c a s e r e q u i r e s me t o s t r i k e o u t t h e s t a t e m e n t o f c l a i m i n t h e N o t l c h o a c t i o n , o r a t l e a s t j u s t i f i e s me i n d o i n g s o ; and t h i s I do." I t seems c l e a r t h a t i f t h e r e a s o n i n g i n t h e S a s k a t c h e w a n Case had been a d v a n c e d on a s i m p l e c o n t r a c t p o i n t and n o t a c o n t e n t i o u s p o l i t i c a l o n e , t h e c a s e may have s u r v i v e d t h e s t r i k i n g a p p l i c a t i o n . T h i s c a s e t o o amounts t o a n o t h e r example o f how t h e I n d i a n agrument was b l o c k e d . What t h e n i s t h e r e s u l t o f t h e A l b e r t a C a s e , and t h e S a s k a t c h e w a n Case f r o m t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s ? F i r s t , t h e judgment o f L o r d Denning i n p a r t i c u l a r a d v a n c e s t h e g e n e r a l p o s i t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s under - 52 - C a n a d i a n l a w i n t h a t he r u l e s t h a t the R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763 i s e n t r e n c h e d i n t h e p r e s e n t B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a A c t and b i n d i n g on t h e F e d e r a l and P r o v i n c i a l G o v e r n m e n t s . "To my mind t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763 was e q u i v a l e n t t o an e n t r e n c h e d p r o v i s i o n i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n i n t h e c o l o n i e s i n N o r t h A m e r i c a . I t was b i n d i n g on t h e Crown 'so l o n g as t h e sun s h i n e s , and t h e r i v e r s f l o w ' . " ... I have no d o u b t t h a t a l l c o n c e r n e d r e g a r d e d t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763 a s s t i l l o f b i n d i n g f o r c e . I t was an u n w r i t t e n p r o v i s i o n w h i c h went w i t h o u t s a y i n g . I t was b i n d i n g on t h e l e g i s l a t u r e s o f t h e D o m i n i o n and t h e P r o v i n c e s j u s t as i f t h e r e had b e e n i n c l u d e d i n t h e B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a A c t a s e n t e n c e ; "The a b o r i g i n a l p e o p l e s o f Canada s h a l l c o n t i n u e t o have a l l t h e i r r i g h t s and freedoms as r e c o g n i z e d by t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763". A l l o f t h e s e s t a t e m e n t s a s s i s t t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n t h e i r d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h t h e Government c o n c e r n i n g e n t r e n c h m e n t o f a b o r i g i n a l and t r e a t y r i g h t s . L o r d D e n n i n g s a y s t h a t t h e r i g h t s a r e a l r e a d y e n t r e n c h e d and s h a l l r e m a i n so f o r e v e r . On t h e a s s e r t i o n o f s o v e r e i g n t y by t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s , t h e D e n n i n g d e c i s i o n i s b o t h h e l p f u l and h u r t f u l . I n s o f a r as t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n and t h e T r e a t i e s a r e e n t r e n c h e d w i t h i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n , t h e Judgment r e c o g n i z e s t h a t t h e s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s i s a l s o e n t r e n c h e d . However, a l l t i e s w i t h t h e B r i t i s h Crown a r e d e n i e d and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e s e n t b a c k t o Canada f o r remedy. I n s o f a r as T r e a t i e s c o n c l u d e d w i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s may, by o p e r a t i o n o f l a w , be - 53 - d e v o l v e d t o a t h i r d p a r t y w i t h o u t I n d i a n c o n s e n t , most r e c o g n i - t i o n o f I n d i a n s o v e r e i g n t y i s l o s t i n t h e p r o c e s s . F u r t h e r , by s e n d i n g t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s b a c k t o C a n a d a , and commenting as he d i d t h a t t h e Canada A c t s a f e g u a r d e d I n d i a n r i g h t s , L o r d D e n n i n g r e l e g a t e d t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s t o a p o s i t i o n o f a m i n o r i t y g r o u p i n C a n a d a , t h e r e b y s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e hand o f t h e C a n a d i a n G o v e r n - ment. L a s t l y , t h e S a s k a t c h e w a n Case was a d v a n c e d a f t e r t h e A l b e r t a Case had been d e c i d e d . T h i s e f f o r t l e a v e s t h e r e c o r d s h o w i n g t h a t w h a t e v e r t h e C o u r t s s a y , t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s s t i l l a s s e r t t h e i r s o v e r e i g n t y and t h e i r a n c i e n t t i e w i t h B r i t a i n . The d o o r r e m a i n s o p e n t o a s s e r t t h e s e p o i n t s i n t h e f u t u r e . (C) The C h i e f s Case I n O c t o b e r 1981, t h e U n i o n o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a I n d i a n C h i e f s i n a s s e m b l y r a i s e d s u f f i c i e n t money t o p r o c e e d w i t h t h e l e g a l a c t i o n i n London. T r e a t y 9 and t h e M a n i t o b a C h i e f s j o i n e d t h e e f f o r t . The l e g a l team r e t u r n e d t o Europe t o c o n t i n u e p r e p a r a t i o n s f o r t h e l e g a l a c t i o n . One h u n d r e d and t w e n t y - f o u r C h i e f s r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e m s e l v e s and t h e i r I n d i a n B a n d s , j o i n e d as P l a i n t i f f s i n t h i s a c t i o n . M o s t o f t h e P l a i n t i f f s came f r o m t h e n o r t h e r n r e g i o n s o f t h e c o u n t r y ; p e o p l e whose t r a d i t i o n a l economy was b a s e d on t h e l a n d . - 54 - An e x a m i n a t i o n o f some c r i t i c a l d a t e s r e f l e c t s t h e s t r a t e g y o f t h e B r i t i s h Government t o b l o c k t h e c a s e b y p a s s i n g the Canada A c t b e f o r e t h e c a s e c o u l d be h e a r d . The r e q u e s t came t o B r i t a i n December 9, 1981. The W r i t was i s s u e d on December 10, 1 9 8 1 ; t h e f i r s t day p o s s i b l e under l a w f o r t h e c a s e t o b e g i n . The S t a t e m e n t o f C l a i m was f i l e d J a n u a r y 22, 1 982. On F e b r u a r y 2 5 , 1 982 an a p p l i c a t i o n was made by t h e C h i e f s b e f o r e H i s Honour J u d g e V i n e l o t s e e k i n g a s p e e d y t r i a l . The d a t e o f J u n e 8, 1982 was s e t f o r t h e t r i a l . I n g r a n t i n g t h e a p p l i c a t i o n , J u d g e V i n e l o t n o t e d t h a t " t h e c a s e r a i s e d i s s u e s o f c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l a w o f g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e w h i c h s h o u l d be s e t t l e d a t the e a r l i e s t c o n v e n i e n c e . I f t h e P l a i n t i f f s s u c c e e d , t h e Canada B i l l w i l l be d e c l a r e d u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l and o f no e f f e c t " . On t h e f i r s t d a y o f t h e s e c o n d r e a d i n g o f t h e Canada A c t , D a v i d Enns M.P., u r g e d P a r l i a m e n t t o a w a i t t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e C h i e f s ' c a s e b e f o r e p a s s i n g t h e A c t . On M a r c h 17, t h e S t a t e m e n t o f D e f e n c e was f i l e d by t h e B r i t i s h G o v e r n m e n t . On March 29, t h e Canada A c t was g i v e n R o y a l a s s e n t . On M a r c h 3 1 , t h e B r i t i s h Government b r o u g h t on a m o t i o n t o s t r i k e t h e c a s e . On A p r i l 17, t h e Canada A c t was p r o c l a i m e d and on A p r i l 20, t h e B r i t i s h Government a c t u a l l y b r o u g h t t h e c a s e t o C o u r t on an a p p l i c a t i o n t o s t r i k e . F o l l o w i n g t h e p a s s a g e o f t h e Canada A c t , t h e B r i t i s h Government r e l i e d upon t h e argument t h a t t h e C o u r t c o u l d n o t l o o k b e h i n d an A c t o f t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t b e c a u s e P a r l i a m e n t i s supreme. T h e r e i s no d o u b t t h a t t h e B r i t i s h Government was on - 55 - s t r o n g e r g r o u n d w i t h t h i s argument t h a n i n m e e t i n g o u r a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s was r e q u i r e d b e f o r e t h e Canada B i l l c o u l d be p a s s e d . The m o t i v e o f t h e B r i t i s h Government was the s u b j e c t o f a s p e e c h by D a v i d E n n s , M.P. " L a s t week Mr. J u s t i c e V i n e l o t o r d e r e d t h e B r i t i s h G o v e r n m e n t , who had been p l e a d i n g f o r more t i m e , t o p r e p a r e t h e i r d e f e n c e by M a r c h 16. The p r e s s u r e i s on t h e B r i t i s h Government i n t h e same way as t h e B r i t i s h Government a r e p u t t i n g g r e a t p r e s s u r e on us t o p a s s t h e l e g i s l a t i o n . Mr. J u s t i c e V i n e l o t s a i d t h a t t h e I n d i a n c a s e r a i s e d i s s u e s o f g r e a t c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i m p o r t a n c e t h a t must be c l a r i f i e d a t t h e e a r l i e s t moment. He n o t e d t h a t i f t h e I n d i a n s s u c c e e d e d , t h e Canada B i l l w o u l d be d e c l a r e d u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l and o f no e f f e c t . He r e c o g n i z e d t h e supremacy o f P a r l i a m e n t b u t n o t e d t h a t i t was t h e p r o p e r f u n c t i o n o f t h e c o u r t s t o i n t e r p r e t t h a t s u p r e m a c y . " The C h i e f s ' c a s e was f o u n d e d on e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t g r o u n d s t h a n t h a t o f t h e S a s k a t c h e w a n o r A l b e r t a C a s e . U n l i k e the o t h e r two c a s e s , t h e C h i e f s ' Case was n o t v u l n e r a b l e t o be s t r u c k u n d e r t h e Crown P r o c e e d i n g s A c t . The q u e s t i o n b e f o r e t h e C o u r t was an i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f the S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r , a U n i t e d Kingdom S t a t u t e . The S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r r e c i t e s and e n a c t s i n S e c t i o n 4 t h a t the l a w s p a s s e d by t h e U n i t e d Kindgom P a r l i a m e n t f o r t h e D o m i n i o n o v e r s e a s may a p p l y o n l y a t t h e r e q u e s t and w i t h the c o n s e n t o f t h a t D o m i n i o n . S e c t i o n 7 o f t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r more - 56 - p r e c i s e l y d e t a i l s t h a t t h e B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a A c t s may be amended a t t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e D o m i n i o n s . The q u e s t i o n b e f o r e the B r i t i s h C o u r t s was "who i s t h e D o m i n i o n o f Canada?". I t was t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s t h a t the D o m i n i o n o f Canada was c o m p r i s e d o f the P e o p l e o f Canada r e p r e s e n t e d by t h r e e s e p a r a t e e n t i t i e s , t h e F e d e r a l P a r l i a m e n t , t h e P r o v i n c i a l L e g i s l a t u r e s and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . I t was f u r t h e r a s s e r t e d i n t h e S t a t e m e n t o f C l a i m t h a t t h e B.N.A. A c t was g r a f t e d o n t o a p r e - e x i s t i n g C o n s t i t u t i o n a l A r r a n g e m e n t between t h e Crown and I n d i a n N a t i o n s i n w h i c h I n d i a n s o v e r e i g n t y was e x p r e s s l y r e c o g n i z e d t h r o u g h t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n and t h e T r e a t i e s . A d e c l a r a t i o n was s o u g h t t h a t the U.K. P a r l i a m e n t had no power t o amend o r change t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f Canada, e s p e c i a l - l y t o t h e p r e j u d i c e o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s , as t h e Canada A c t d i d , w i t h o u t t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . I n l i n e w i t h t h e S a s k a t c h e w a n C a s e , the C h i e f s ' case r e l i e d on t h e e v i d e n c e o f t h e I n d i a n s and was p r e m i s e d on the s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . D u r i n g t h e a p p l i c a t i o n t o s t r i k e t h e c a s e , the B r i t i s h Government a r g u e d t h a t t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t i s supreme. T h a t p r i n c i p l e i s a t h e o r y o n l y and i t i s based upon t h e f a c t t h a t t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t p o s s e s s e s a l l t h e s o v e r e i g n power r e q u i r e d t o - 57 - make any l e g i s l a t i v e d e c i s i o n . The C h i e f s a r g u e d t h a t a l t h o u g h t h a t p o i n t i s g e n e r a l l y t r u e , i n t h e c a s e o f Canada, and a l l o f t h e o t h e r D o m i n i o n s g o v e r n e d by t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r , t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t had a b d i c a t e d t o t h e P a r l i a m e n t s o f t h o s e D o m i n i o n s , s u b s t a n t i a l s o v e r e i g n t y . As a r e s u l t , t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t i s no l o n g e r s o v e r e i g n w i t h r e s p e c t t o Canada b u t p o s s e s s e s t h e l i m i t e d s o v e r e i g n t y w h i c h r e m a i n s t o i t . T h a t s o v e r e i g n t y i s s e t o u t i n t h e S t a t u t e o f W e s t m i n s t e r w h i c h empowers t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t t o e n a c t l a w s f o r C a n a d a , a t i t s r e q u e s t and w i t h i t s c o n s e n t . The c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s and t h e P r o v i n c e o f Quebec had not been g i v e n . T h i s argument must s u c c e e d b e f o r e t h e C h i e f s ' Case c o u l d be b r o u g h t t o t r i a l . A f t e r f o u r d a y s o f a r g u m e n t , J u d g e M c G a r r y r e j e c t e d t h e argument o f t h e C h i e f s and r u l e d t h a t the B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t was supreme and c o u l d p a s s any l a w t h e y p l e a s e d o v e r Canada. " I do n o t t h i n k t h a t c o u n t r i e s w h i c h were once c o l o n i e s b u t have s i n c e been g r a n t e d i n d e p e n d e n c e a r e any d i f f e r e n t p o s i t i o n . P l a i n l y once a s t a t u t e has g r a n t e d i n d e p e n d e n c e t o a c o u n t r y , t h e r e p e a l o f t h e s t a t u t e w i l l n o t make t h e c o u n t r y d e p e n d e n t o n c e more; what i s done i s done, and i s n o t undone by r e v o k i n g t h e a u t h o r i t y t o do i t . H e l i g o l a n d d i d n o t i n 1953 a g a i n become B r i t i s h . B u t i f P a r l i a m e n t t h e n p a s s e s an A c t a p p l y i n g t o s u c h a c o u n t r y , I c a n n o t see why t h a t A c t s h o u l d be i n t h e same p o s i t i o n as an A c t a p p l y i n g t o what has a l w a y s been a f o r e i g n c o u n t r y , n a m e l y , an A c t , w h i c h t h e E n g l i s h C o u r t s w o u l d r e c o g n i z e and a p p l y b u t one w h i c h the o t h e r c o u n t r y w i l l i n a l l p r o b a b i l i t y i g n o r e . " - 58 - To r u l e i n t h i s manner, the J u d g e had t o i g n o r e o r d i s t i n g u i s h two c e n t u r i e s o f l e g a l d e b a t e on the p o i n t . The C o u r t o f A p p e a l b l o c k e d the a r g u m e n t , b u t on d i f f e r e n t g r o u n d s . The J u d g e s c o n c e d e d , w i t h o u t d e c i d i n g t h e q u e s t i o n t h a t P a r l i a m e n t c o u l d a b d i c a t e s o v e r e i g n t y , l e a v i n g a l i m i t e d r o l e f o r t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t . But t h e y r u l e d s i n c e t h e Canada A c t c o n t a i n e d a p r o v i s i o n t h a t i t had been p a s s e d w i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f C a n a d a , t h e C o u r t c o u l d n o t l o o k b e h i n d t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f c o n s e n t t o see i f t h a t c o n s e n t was r e a l . "Though Mr. M a c D o n a l d , as we have s a i d , s u b m i t t e d t h a t s e c t i o n 4 r e q u i r e s n o t o n l y a d e c l a r a t i o n b u t a t r u e d e c l a r a t i o n o f a r e a l r e q u e s t and c o n s e n t , we are u n a b l e t o r e a d t h i s s e c t i o n i n t h a t way. There i s no a m b i g u i t y i n t h e r e l e v a n t words and the C o u r t w o u l d n o t i n o u r o p i n i o n be j u s t i f i e d i n s u p p l y i n g a d d i t i o n a l words by a p r o c e s s o f i m p l i c a t i o n ; i t must be c o n s t r u e d and a p p l y t h e w o r d s as t h e y s t a n d . " The C h i e f s h a v e a p p e a l e d t h a t d e c i s i o n t o the House o f L o r d s . The House o f L o r d s must f i r s t d e c i d e w h e t h e r o r n o t t h e y w i l l a l l o w l e a v e t o a p p e a l . I f i n the end t h e y do g r a n t l e a v e , t h e C h i e f s w i l l have an o p p o r t u n i t y o f s a y i n g t h a t the C o u r t o f A p p e a l i s w r o n g . I f a t t h a t s t a g e the House o f L o r d s a g r e e , t h e m a t t e r w i l l r e t u r n f o r t r i a l and the C h i e f s w i l l a t t e m p t to p r o v e t h a t t h e C a n a d a A c t i s u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l b e c a u s e i t d o e s n o t c a r r y t h e i r c o n s e n t . I f i n the end l e a v e i s d e n i e d , the C h i e f s w i l l have e x h a u s t e d d o m e s t i c r e m e d i e s on t h e q u e s t i o n o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and w i l l be f r e e t o move i n t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l a r e n a s on t h a t q u e s t i o n . - 59 - IV S e c t i o n 37 o f t h e Canada A c t The C a n a d i a n Government has p r o p o s e d a C o n s t i t u t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e where A b o r i g i n a l and T r e a t y r i g h t s w i l l be i d e n t i f i e d and d e f i n e d . The s e c t i o n o f t h e Canada A c t w h i c h s e t s o u t t h e t e r m s f o r t h e c o n f e r e n c e i s s e c t i o n 37 w h i c h r e a d s : "37. (1) A c o n s t i t u t i o n a l c o n f e r e n c e composed o f t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r o f Canada and t h e f i r s t m i n i s t e r s o f t h e p r o v i n c e s s h a l l be c o n v e n e d by t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r o f Canada w i t h i n one y e a r a f t e r t h i s P a r t comes i n t o f o r c e . (2) The c o n f e r e n c e c o n v e n e d u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n (1) s h a l l have i n c l u d e d i n i t s agenda an i t e m r e s p e c t i n g c o n s t i t u t i o n a l m a t t e r s t h a t d i r e c t l y a f f e c t t h e a b o r i g i n a l p e o p l e s o f Canada, i n c l u d i n g t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n and d e f i n i t i o n o f t h e r i g h t s o f t h o s e p e o p l e s t o be i n c l u d e d i n t h e C o n s i t u i o n s o f C a n a d a , and t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r o f Canada s h a l l i n v i t e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h o s e p e o p l e s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n s on t h a t i t e m . (3) The P r i m e M i n i s t e r o f Canada s h a l l i n v i t e e l e c t e d r r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t s o f t h e Yukon T e r r i t o r y and t h e N o r t h w e s t T e r r i t o r i e s t o p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e d s c u s s i o n on anu i t e m o f t h e agenda o f t h e c o n f e r e n c e convendd u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n (1) t h a t , i n t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r , d i r e c t y a f f e c t s t h e Yukon T e r r i r o r y and t h e N o r t h w e s t T e r r i t o r i e s . The C o n s t i t u t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e s as p r o p o s e d r e f l e c t s , t h e G o v e r n m e n t s ' p o s i t i o n on I n d i a n s o v e r e i g n t y . I t s e l e m e n t s a r e as f o l l o w s : 1. The I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e n o t i n v i t e d as a N a t i o n . They a r e i n v i t e d as i n v i t e e s t o a C o n f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e F e d e r a l Government and t h e P r e m i e r s . 2. The I n d i a n N a t i o n s a r e n o t n e g o t i a t i n g w i t h t h e Crown. F o r t h e f i r s t t i m e t h e d i s c u s s i o n i s w i t h t h e C a n d a i a n - 60 - Government. 3. The s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s i s e n t i r e l y r e j e c t e d . T r u d e a u h a s s a i d t h e I n d i a n i s a " n o n - s t a r t e r " . I n i t s p l a c e t h e F i r s t M i n i s t e r s ' w i l l i d e n t i f y and d e f i n e t h e r i g h t s o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . The s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s i s f u r t h e r u n d e r m i n e d i n s o f a r a s a l l d i s c u s s i o n s w i l l t a k e p l a c e w i t h i n t h e framework o f t h e Canada A c t w h i c h p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e F e d e r a l and P r o v i n c i a l G o v e r n m e n t s h a v e t h e power t o t e r m i n a t e a b o r i g i o n a l and t r e a t y r i g h t s w i t h o u t t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s by the v e h i c l e o f t h e amending f o r m u l a . What i s t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e l e g a l c a s e , and t h e a c t i o n t a k e n on a l l f r o n t s d u r i n g t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l d e b a t e ? A l l the s a c r i f i c e s w h i c h t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s made, a l l t h e l o n g h o u r s i n s t r a n g e c o u n t r i e s had t o be made i n o r d e r t o keep t h e h i s t o r i c a l r e c o r d r e f l e c t i n g t h e t r u t h . Canada c o n t i n u e d i n i t s c o l o n i z a t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s and t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s c o n t i n u e d t o a s s e r t s o v e r e i g n t y t h r o u g h o u t t h e b a t t l e on t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n . Even a f t e r t h e A l b e r t a d e c i s i o n had been r e n d e r e d by t h e E n g l i s h C o u r t s , t h e C h i e f s p r e s s e d ahead. Even a f t e r t h e Canada A c t had been p a t r i a t e d , t h e C h i e f s c o n t i n u e d . I n d i a n N a t i o n s have t h e r i g h t t o c o n s e n t t o a c o n s t i t u t i o n w h i c h a f f e c t s t h e s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e I n d i a n N a t i o n s . T h a t s t a t e m e n t i s t h e l a s t words s p o k e n o n t h e r e c o r d o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n d e b a t e . Whether t h e House o f L o r d s h e a r s t h e c a s e o r n o t t h e r e c o r d k e e p s t h e d o o r open f o r f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s t o c a r r y on t h e s t r u g g l e .

Part of The Indian Nations and the Federal Government's View on the Constitution

Constitution Express

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