OTTAWA \u2014 It\u2019s one of the most important laws in Canada\u2019s history, it\u2019s widely loathed by the people it affects \u2014 and most Canadians know little about it.<\/p>\n
The Indian Act, which dates from 1876, gives Ottawa sweeping powers over First Nations communities and people, including the authority to decide who qualifies for status and what reserves can and can\u2019t do.<\/p>\n
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While the law is heavily criticized by First Nations leaders and people, it also protects reserve lands. Status under the Indian Act entitles people to certain health and social services.<\/p>\n
On Monday, during a historic gathering of federal, provincial and First Nations leaders in Ottawa<\/a>, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew<\/a> pitched the idea of abolishing the Indian Act.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was \u201cvery open to\u201d the idea.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n What is the Indian Act and what does it do?<\/p>\n The Indian Act is an amalgamation of colonial era laws designed to assimilate First Nations people into mainstream Canadian culture through the eventual erasure of their distinct identities and legal status. It does not apply to Inuit or M\u00e9tis people.<\/p>\n The law was used to outlaw ceremonial practices in response to pressure from religious missionaries. It served as the foundation of the residential school system that took roughly 150,000 children away from their families<\/a>.<\/p>\n An early amendment to the law removed the rights of First Nations women who married someone who was not a status Indian.<\/p>\n In 1927, the Indian Act was amended to make it illegal for First Nations people and communities to hire lawyers, and to forbid land claims without government approval.<\/p>\n The law was amended in 1951 to, among other things, eliminate the ban on ceremonies and extend the right to vote in First Nations elections to women. In 1960, the law was changed to give First Nations people the right to vote in federal elections without forfeiting their Indian Act status.<\/p>\n The Indian Act still forbids the sale of reserve lands, making it very difficult for reserve members to secure loans and mortgages.<\/p>\n The law ensures First Nations have access to health and social programs and prevents them from being taxed on-reserve. Some services from Indigenous Services Canada are offered only to those with status under the Indian Act.<\/p>\n Why do people want change?<\/p>\n