Early-mid
1600s |
French in New France trade for furs with Native people Attempts to "civilise" Native peoples by conversion to Christianity and cultural assimilation, in order to recreate Natives as French
Roman Catholic missionaries establish the first schools for Native children
French rely on Native people as military allies throughout the occupation of New France
|
| 1660 |
French abandon policy of cultural assimilation, continue conversion activities
|
| 1759-1763 |
French defeated by British and withdraw from New France
|
| 1763 |
British Royal Proclamation provides treaty mechanism
|
early-mid
1800s |
Military importance of Native peoples declines,
First sustained interest by British Protestant missionaries in conversion
Reserve lands set aside in Eastern Canada
|
| 1854 |
Governor James Douglas makes last of 14 treaties with Vancouver Island natives
|
| 1867 |
Dominion of Canada is established under British North America Act Federal government has exclusive responsibility for Native people
|
| 1868 |
First Indian Act is passed
|
Late
1860s |
Canadian government begins treaty-making in western Canada, often with educational provisions
|
| 1871 |
British Columbia joins Confederation
BNA Act applies in BC
|
1871-
1876 |
Seven major treaties cede land between Lake Superior and Rocky Mountains
No treaties concluded in BC
|
| 1876 |
Indian Act is consolidated
|
| 1879 |
Davin Report recommends residential schools on American model
|
| 1880 |
Buffalo disappears from the Prairies, forcing Native dependence on Federal government
Department of Indian Affairs is created
|
| 1884 |
The federal government bans the potlatch
|
| 1885 |
Northwest Rebellion is crushed by federal intervention
|
Late
1880s |
Federal government establishes industrial, boarding and day schools for Native children, usually in conjunction with religious organisations
|
| 1892 |
Order-in council, in effect until 1958 regulates residential schools under joint DIA-missionary responsibilities
|
| 1920 |
Compulsory school attendance for Native children mandated by federal government
|
| 1946 |
Joint Senate-House Committee is formed to revise the Indian Act
|
| 1951 |
New Indian Act ends policy of segregated education
Native children allowed to attend provincial schools
|
| 1960 |
Native people enfranchised in Canada
|
1966-
1967 |
Hawthorn Report recommends greater federal attention to Native issues
|
| 1968 |
National Indian Brotherhood formed
|
| 1969 |
Federal White Paper recommends elimination of all legal discrimination, the abolition of the DIA, and integration of Native peoples into dominant society
Federal government formally ends partnership with religious organisations
|
| 1972 |
Native opposition to White Paper results in National Indian Brotherhood calling for Native control of Native education
|
| 1973 |
Federal government withdraws White Paper, accepts principle of Native control of Native education
|
| 1976 |
Saskatchewan Indian Federated College is created at the University of Regina
|
| 1980s |
Last residential schools closed
Band control of schooling increases in BC, and elsewhere in Canada
|
| 1996 |
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
|
