Research Guides: SOC339 The Indian Act: Canadian Law, Sovereignty and Indigenous Womxn: Government Records & Other Primary Sources

Example: An Act to Amend the Indian Act, Bill C-31

House of Commons Debates - June 12, 1985 [VIDEO]
"Members quickly complete the third reading of Bill C-31, an amendment to the Indian Act; speaking in the debate are David Crombie (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development), Keith Penner (the Liberal critic for Indian Affairs and Northern Development), Jim Manly (the NDP critic for Indian Affairs), Stan Schellenberger, and John Parry." - Description from website
House of Commons Debates, 33rd Parliament, 1st Session : Vol. 4 [HANSARD]
Transcript of parliamentary debate. See image 1044.
1985 An Act to amend the Indian Act (Bill C-31)

Quick Links: Documents Cited in Textbook

Royal Proclamation of 1763
Gradual Civilization Act (1857)
Retrieved from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Reports (https://nctr.ca/records/reports/)
Gradual Enfranchisement Act (1869)
Retrieved from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Reports (https://nctr.ca/records/reports/)
Indian Act (1876)
Retrieved from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Reports (https://nctr.ca/records/reports/)
1969 White Paper (Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian Policy)
1970 Red Paper (Citizens Plus)
Indian Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. I-5)
Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1991-1996)
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) Reports (2015)

Library and Archives Canada

Library and Archives Canada Collections Search
Search for digitized records available through Library and Archives Canada. Use keywords and the filters available on the left-hand side of the search results page to select date ranges and online availability.
Indigenous History
"Library and Archives Canada (LAC) acquires, preserves, and provides access to published and archival heritage material that represents First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation experiences and contributions to Canada. This includes text, photographs, maps, and audio-visual material. Explore the collection through our online databases, digitized documents and thematic guides." - Description from website
First Nations genealogy
This guide provides links and information to a variety of records in the RG10 and RG15 series, such as The Indian Registers, 1951-1984; band membership records and enfranchisement lists; annuity paylists; Indian Affairs Annual Reports, 1864-1990; and Orders-in-Council, 1867 to 1924.
We Are Here: Sharing Stories
"We Are Here: Sharing Stories is an initiative to digitize and describe hundreds of thousands of Indigenous-related collection items in Library and Archives Canada's (LAC) holdings. This content includes textual material, photographs, artwork, maps and publications related to First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation, and comes from private donors, government records and published works." - Description from website

Additional information about the RG10 and RG15 records can be found on the Government of Canada's First Nations Genealogy webpage.

Census

Before searching for census records, check out the following information pages from Library and Archives Canada:

Census search
Click here to search all of the Canadian census records from 1825 onwards.

Bills, Debates, Statutes, & Court Judgements

Before using the sources below, check out UofT Library's How a bill comes law and How to search debates and committee transcripts videos.

For instructions on how to search CanLII, watch this video.

For more resources related to bills, committees, and debates, check out UofT Library's guide to Canadian Government Information.

Canadian Parliamentary Historical Resources
Includes archived copies of debates, journals, committees, bills, minutes of proceedings, votes and proceedings, standing orders, and sessional papers for the Senate and House of Commons from the 1st Session of the 1st Parliament in 1867 until November 22, 2021.
Bills (LEGISinfo), 2001+
Provides details on the passage of bills from November 22, 2021 to the present.
Justice Laws Website, Government of Canda
"This website provides access to federal Acts and regulations in both official languages, both language versions being equally authoritative.
The consolidations are generally updated every two weeks." - Description from website
CanLII
Provides access to acts, regulations, court judgments and tribunal decisions from all Canadian jurisdictions
Acts of the Parliament and Revised Statutes of Canada (Heinonline)
- Acts of the Parliament of Canada (1792 - 2012)
- Revised Statutes of Canada (1886, 1903, 1924, 1952, 1970, 1985)

Treaties

For instruction on how to search for treaties in the Library and Archives Canada Collections Search, visit the Government of Canada's Treaties, Surrenders, and Agreements.

Transcripts of Treaties [Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada]
This resources provides access to "transcripts of the treaties dating from the mid 1700's to the early 1900's. The treaty texts have been formatted and clearly typed, instead of their original format, for easy reading and printing. Please note that not all treaties have been transcribed due to the absence of the original source document." - Description from website

Maps

Map of Ontario treaties and reserves [Government of Ontario]
Includes links to Ontario treaties and purchases.
Maps of Treaty-Making in Canada [Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada]
"[...] maps illustrating the Pre-1975 Treaties of Canada, that were negotiated between 1725 and 1923. These treaties cover most of Ontario, the Prairie Provinces, parts of Vancouver Island, Northwest Territories and Atlantic Canada." - Description from website

Canadian (Federal and Provincial) Government Publications

Indian Affairs Annual Reports, 1864-1990 [Library and Archives Canada]
"This database includes annual reports from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and its predecessors from 1864 to 1990." - Description from website
Canadian Government Publications
Government of Canada website. Search or browse publications in their collection. Tip: Search "policy" under subject to find White Papers and Green Papers.
Policies, regulations and laws by department or agency
Government of Canada website. Find the regulations, policies and laws relevant to any department or agency of the Government of Canada.
Canadian Public Documents Collection (1996- 2019) on Scholars Portal
Includes publications from Canadian public policy institutes, government agencies, advocacy groups, think-tanks, university research centres and other public interest groups. Search using keywords or browse using filters on right-hand side of page.
Ontario Government Documents Collection (pre 1900 to 2021) on Scholars Portal
Search using keywords or browse using filters on right-hand side of page.
Library of Parliament Research Publications
Parliament of Canada website. Search by subject, publication type, year, author and key terms.
All Committees' Work: Reports and Government Responses
Parliament of Canada website. This page lists all work undertaken by committees, including studies, activities and reports.
Google Canadian Government Documents Custom Search (Carleton University)
Searches over 775 core domains at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government
Canadian Research Index
Indexes Canadian government publications, federal, provincial and selected municipalities from 1982 to 2018. Tip: Search government bodies under the Company/org heading.
White Papers 1939 to 2014 (Archive-It, University of Toronto)
Archived collection of official documents presented by Ministers of the Crown which state and explain the government's policy on certain issues
Green Papers 1971 to 2010 (Archive-It, University of Toronto)
Archived collection of official documents sponsored by Ministers of the Crown that are issued by the government to invite public comment and discussion on an issue prior to policy formulation
Statistics Canada Subject Guide
Statistics Canada's portal for data, tools and reports on Canadian society and community. Areas of interest include Indigenous Peoples; Crime, Justice and Community Safety; COVID-19; Society and Community.

Other Government Publication Resources

Policy Commons
An online discovery service for documents from world’s leading think tanks, policy experts, NGOs and more.
PAIS Index
PAIS International offers access to the international literature in public affairs, public and social policies, and international relations. It is an important index for its coverage of government documents, publications of international agencies, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference reports, microfiche, and Internet material, as well as journal articles, books and articles in books from more than 120 countries worldwide.

Digital Collections

Indigenous Peoples of North America
"This database contains material representing the historical experience of Indigenous peoples as authored by European settler communities, Christian religious organizations, government agencies, and non-Indigenous scholars and scientists, as well as Indigenous individuals and organizations." - Descriptions from publisher

SOC339 The Indian Act: Canadian Law, Sovereignty and Indigenous Womxn

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