Aboriginal Rights And Self Government

A timely study of the Aboriginal rights movements, this collection of essays explores the situation in Canada and Mexico, where demands by Native peoples for political autonomy and sovereignty are increasing, and suggests why there is little corresponding activity in the United States. The contributors address practical questions about the viability of multiple governments within one political system and epistemological questions about recognizing and understanding the "other." Curtis Cook is professor of political science, The Colorado College. Juan D. Lindau is professor of political science, The Colorado College.

It contains some twenty-three papers from representatives of the aboriginal people's organizations, of governments, and of a variety of academic disciplines, along with introductions and an epilogue by the editors and appendices of the key constitutional documents from 1763.

"Building on the success of the first two editions, this volume briefly recaps the historical development and public acceptance of the concept of Aboriginal self-government, then proceeds to examine its theoretical underpinnings, the state of Aboriginal self-government in Canada today, and the many practical issues surrounding implementation. Topics addressed include: justice innovations, initiatives in health and education to grant greater Aboriginal control, financing and intergovernmental relations, Aboriginal-municipal government relations, developing effective Aboriginal leadership, Métis self government aspirations, the intersection of women's rights and self-government, and international perspectives. Various self-government arrangements already in existence are examined including the establishment of Nunavut, the James Bay Agreement, Treaty Land Entitlement settlements, the Alberta Métis settlements, and many other land claims settlements that have granted Aboriginal communities greater control over their affairs."--Pub. website.

Note: The papers assembled in this volume were commissioned from the authors by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples as part of its research program. The papers were completed between August 1993 and November 1994. The opinions expressed in the papers are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or positions of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

This collection of papers on self-government and self-determination for native groups (First Nations) in Canada, presents a variety of views on an acceptable definition, the implications of the ideas and theory, and means of implementation.

Machine generated contents note: Introduction: how settlers gained self-government and indigenous people (almost) lost it; Part I.A Four-Cornered Contest: British Government, Settlers, Missionaries and Indigenous Peoples: 1. Colonialism and catastrophe: 1830; 2. 'Another new world inviting our occupation': colonisation and the beginnings of humanitarian intervention, 1831-1837; 3. Settlers oppose indigenous protection: 1837-1842; 4. A colonial conundrum: settler rights versus indigenous rights, 1837-1842; 5. Who will control the land? Colonial and imperial debates 1842-1846; Part II. Towards Self-Government: 6. Who will govern the settlers? Imperial and settler desires, visions, utopias, 1846-1850; 7. 'No place for the sole of their feet': imperial-colonial dialogue on Aboriginal land rights, 1846-1851; 8. Who will govern Aboriginal people? Britain transfers control of Aboriginal policy to the colonies, 1852-1854; 9. The dark side of responsible government? Britain and indigenous people in the self-governing colonies, 1854-1870; Part III. Self-Governing Colonies and Indigenous People, 1856-c.1870: 10. Ghosts of the past, people of the present: Tasmania; 11. 'A refugee in our own land': governing Aboriginal people in Victoria; 12. Aboriginal survival in New South Wales; 13. Their worst fears realised: the disaster of Queensland; 14. A question of honour in the colony that was meant to be different: Aboriginal policy in South Australia; Part IV. Self-Government for Western Australia: 15. 'A little short of slavery': forced Aboriginal labour in Western Australia 1856-1884; 16. 'A slur upon the colony': making Western Australia's unusual constitution, 1885-1890; Conclusion.

This volume addresses the contentious and topical issue of aboriginal self-government over child welfare. Using case studies from Australia and Canada, it discusses aboriginal child welfare in historical and comparative perspectives and critically examines recent legal reforms and changes in the design, management and delivery of child welfare services aimed at securing the 'decolonization' of aboriginal children and families. Within this context, the author identifies the limitations of reconciling the conflicting demands of self-determination and sovereignty and suggests that international law can provide more nuanced and culturally sensitive solutions. Referring to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is argued that the effective decolonization of aboriginal child welfare requires a journey well beyond the single issue of child welfare to the heart of the debate over self-government, self-determination and sovereignty in both national and international law.