Indigenous Nationhood

There are many Aboriginal leaders and community members from all over Canada who are fighting on our behalf to protect our culture and identity for the future. There is never just one person dedicating their time, effort and "free" time to these issues. It is impossible to list them all in one blog. However, there are always those who stand out above the rest because of their selfless dedication to their people. This blog will highlight one of those people who are working hard to make changes to how we define ourselves for the benefit of our future generations. Chief William K. Montour, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Ontario. Chief Montour is an inspiration to those who truly know him. He has decades of experience working on behalf of his people both inside and outside of the Canadian government and the Six Nations government. It wasn't Chief Montour that enacted the Indian Act and he certainly did not impose the assimilatory rules, regulations, and policies

The federal government appears to be pursuing a course of amendments to the Indian Act's registration (status) provisions that will not address all of the gender discrimination raised by Sharon McIvor in her court case ( McIvor v. Canada ). It would seem that the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC, the honourable Chuck Strahl, is relying on the court of appeal's obiter to significantly reduce the amount of gender discrimination it will fix. The problem is that this minimalist amendment which is being contemplated will have the same effect as the 1985 amendments to the Indian Act (also referred to as Bill C-31 ). Bill C-31 was supposed to bring the Indian Act into compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ( Charter ) and its section 15 equality provision. As INAC did not address all of the gender discrimination in the Bill C-31 amendments, McIvor and others had no choice but to try to address the residual (remaining) gender discrimination