I should mention that claiming your rights may have some risk attached….

Just try and get a copy of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and let the hot potato games begin!

Respectifully: Carver.

As I understand it, Indigenous People can make all the Laws they want - but they have no authority beyond reservation lines (or those territories they are ‘permitted’ to live on) or over any people outside of the line, regardless of who they are.

Technically speaking, the reverse is not true - because Indigenous Nations in Canada are managed and categorized as nothing more than municipalities, or townships (with special privileges) within Canada.

Now here’s the twist — like any municipality in Canada, the indigenous ones do not have sovereign authority - only in certain matters at best. And the federal Government can alter the rights of the people in, and of the municipality itself.

In other words, Canada can legally infringe upon any “Aboriginal right” (or any law for that matter) so long as there is a “substantial objective.” (e.g.. “development of agriculture, forestry, mining, and hydroelectric power…protection of the environment or endangered species, the building of infrastructure and the settlement of foreign populations to support those aims.” This according to the Courts decision in Delgamuukw v. British Columbia.)

Self-Governance is literally no different - nothing more than applied theory - which has any number of ways it can be subverted, undermined and erased all together. Ain it great!? Now let’s imagine the exact same policy applied to Canadian Citizens….

Another thing worth mentioning I think, is how the UN fits into this little scheme: The rights of Indigenous People worldwide as been a source of contention at the UN since at least the Universal declaration of human rights. Indigenous Rights are mentioned in it briefly — but states accepted this declaration only because it was so ambiguous… and also because the UN decided to adhere to something called the Blue Water thesis.

This theory/doctrine - basically says Indigenous Nations can not become “Real Nations” if they are enclosed by Nation-States - because, it says, ‘the territorial integrity of the Nation-State must be maintained.’

For any indigenous ‘municipality’ to have Real Nationhood, Canada would have to compromise it’s territorial integrity - since this is a no-no (something Nation States agree to) the only Nationhood an Indigenous Nation can really get is the theoretical kind. They will always have to be ultimately subordinate to Canada.

The treaties and new economic ventures (like private home ownership) Canada is trying to Win Indigenous Nations over with these days, reflects this. And quite frankly so does every single thing coming from Ottawa or any of the Provinces - the exception being the Haudenosaunee Nation.

As discouraging as this seems, I don’t think it is — because it makes the obvious that much more obvious - reality, that much more necessary.

Your words make it abundantly clear, Carver - none of this works both ways - and that’s the way they mean it to be.

Respectfully - Ahni.

Because;It is not self-governance if we have to get permission to in fact pass a “Law” or any. Where does the corp/gov powers end and our’s begin?

Anyways, it’s better for us to take the first step…

We are millions, as you point out, all with our own beliefs, values, and visions. And there are millions of things we can do. But only some will have long-term, beneficial results.

Respectfully,, Ahni.