Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs
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Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs | |
---|---|
Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development | |
Style | The Honourable |
Member of | |
Appointer | Governor General of Canada |
Term length | At Her Majesty's pleasure |
Inaugural holder | Hector Louis Langevin |
Formation | 1966 |
Website | www.ainc-inac.gc.ca |
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The Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet responsible for overseeing the corresponding federal government department (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada) and administering the Indian Act and other legislation dealing with "Indians and lands reserved for the Indians" under subsection 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867. They also are responsible for supervising federal involvement in the territorial governments of the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
The Minister's legal title, as set out in the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Act, remains the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and this title continues in use in statutes and legal documents. However, on May 18, 2011, the Minister adopted the working title "Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development".[1] Following the establishment of the 29th Canadian Ministry the working title was changed to Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
Contents
History
Prior to Canadian confederation in 1867, the Indian Department for British North America was responsible for relations between The Crown and indigenous peoples.
A Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs was in the Canadian cabinet from 1867 until 1936 when the Minister of Mines and Resources became responsible for native affairs. In 1950 the Indian Affairs branch was transferred to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, who had responsibility for "status Indians" until the creation of the position of Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in 1966.[2]
Before 1966 the Northern Development portions of the portfolio were the responsibility of the Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources.[3]
Until amendments to the Indian Act in 1985 restored Indian status to many people whose status had been revoked for discriminatory reasons, about half of the persons claiming to be Indians were entitled to be registered as Indians under the Indian Act and to receive the benefits reserved for registered Indians under the Act. The people to whom status was restored were:
- women who married men who were not Status Indians, and their children
- people who had, prior to 1961, renounced their Indian status so they could vote in federal elections, and their children
- people whose mother and paternal grandmother did not have status before marriage (these people lost status at 21), and their children
- people who had been born out of wedlock of mothers with status and fathers without, and their children.
Over 100,000 people have had their Indian status restored as a result of these changes.
A 1983 Commons Committee recommended that Indian or First Nations communities be allowed to write their own membership code provided that the code did not violate fundamental human rights. A second report from the 1983 Penner Committee recommended the gradual abolition of the office of Minister of Indian Affairs and a transfer of responsibility for their own affairs to First Nations communities. Proposed changes died on the House of Commons order paper and have not been re-introduced.
As of July 2004, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development has been assigned the role of Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians concurrently.
Responsibilities
Acts
The Minister has responsibilities, wholly or partially, under a number of Acts:[4](list may not be complete)
- Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act R.S., 1985, c. A-12
- British Columbia Indian Cut-off Lands Settlement Act — 1984, c. 2
- British Columbia Indian Reserves Mineral Resources Act — 1943-44, c. 19
- British Columbia Treaty Commission Act — 1995, c. 45
- Canada Petroleum Resources Act — R.S., 1985, c. 36 (2nd Supp.)
- Canada-Yukon Oil and Gas Accord Implementation Act — 1998, c. 5
- Canadian Polar Commission Act — 1991, c. 6
- Caughnawaga Indian Reserve Act — 1934, c. 29
- Claim Settlements (Alberta and Saskatchewan)Implementation Act — 2002, c-3
- Condominium Ordinance Validation Act— 1985, c. 46
- Cree-Naskapi (of Quebec) Act — 1984, c. 18
- Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Act — R.S., 1985, c. I-6
- Dominion Water Power Act, — R.S., 1985, c. W-4
- First Nations Commercial and Industrial Development Act — 2005, c. 53
- First Nations Jurisdiction over Education in British Columbia Act — 2006, c. 10
- First Nations Land Management Act — 1999, c. 24
- First Nations Oil and Gas and Moneys Management Act — 2005, c. 48
- Fort Nelson Indian Reserve Minerals Revenue Sharing Act — 1980-81-82-83, c. 38
- Grassy Narrows and Islington Indian Bands Mercury Pollution Claims Settlement Act — 1986, c. 23
- Gwich’in Land Claim Settlement Act — 1992, c. 53
- Indian Act — R.S., 1985, c. I-5
- Indian Lands Agreement Act (1986) — 1988, c. 39
- Indian Oil and Gas Act — R.S., 1985, c. I-7
- Kanesatake Interim Land Base Governance Act — 2001, c. 8
- Kelowna Accord Implementation Act 2008, c. 23
- Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act — 2005, c. 27
- Lands Surveys Act, Canada — R.S., 1985, c. L-6 Part III
- Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act — 1998, c. 25
- Manitoba Claim Settlements Implementation Act — 2000, c. 33
- Mi’kmaq Education Act — 1998, c. 24
- Natural Resources Transfer (School Lands) Amendments, (Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan) (see also School Lands) — 1960-61, c. 62
- Nelson House First Nation Flooded Land Act — 1997, c. 29
- New Brunswick Indian Reserves Agreement — 1959, c. 47
- Northwest Territories Act — R.S., 1985, c. N-27
- Northwest Territories Waters Act — 1992, c. 39
- Nova Scotia Indian Reserves Agreement — 1959, c. 50
- Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act — 2008, c. 2
- Nunavut Act — 1993, c. 28
- Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act — 1993, c. 29
- Nunavut Waters and Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal Act — 2002, c. 10
Oil and Gas Operations Act, Canada — R.S., 1985, c. O-7 Pictou Landing Indian Band Agreement Act — 1995, c. 4 Sahtu Dene and Metis Land Claim Settlement Act — 1994, c. 27
- St. Peters Indian Reserve Act — 1916, c. 24
- St. Regis Islands Act — 1926-27, c. 37
- Saskatchewan Treaty Land Entitlement Act — 1993, c. 11
- Sechelt Indian Band Self-Government Act — 1986, c. 27
- Songhees Indian Reserve Act — 1911, c. 24
- Specific Claims Tribunal Act 2008, c. 22
- Split Lake Cree First Nation Flooded Land Act — 1994, c. 42
- Territorial Lands Act — R.S., 1985, c. T-7
- Tlicho Land Claims and Self-Government Act — 2005, c. 1
- Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement Act — 2008, c. 32
- Westbank First Nation Self-Government Act — 2004, c. 17
- Western Arctic (Inuvialuit) Claims Settlement Act — 1984, c. 24
- York Factory First Nation Flooded Land Act — 1997, c. 28
- Yukon Act — 2002, c. 7
- Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act — 2003, c. 7
- Yukon First Nations Self-Government Act — 1994, c. 35
Boards, Commissions and Other Responsibilities
The Minister is also the lead Minister or responsible Minister for:
- Canadian Polar Commission
- Corporation for the Mitigation of Mackenzie Gas Project Impacts
- First Nations Statistical Institute
- Indian Oil and Gas Canada
- Northwest Territories Commissioner
- Northwest Territories Water Board
- Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board
- Contract for Implementation of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement
- Nunavut Commissioner
- Nunavut Impact Review Board
- Nunavut Planning Commission
- Nunavut Water Board
- Yukon Territory Commissioner
Cabinet ministers
No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs | ||||||
1. | Hector Louis Langevin | May 22, 1868 | December 7, 1869 | Conservative | 1 (Macdonald) | |
2. | Joseph Howe | December 8, 1869 | May 6, 1873 | Liberal-Conservative | ||
* | James Cox Aikins (acting) | May 7, 1873 | June 13, 1873 | |||
3. | Thomas Nicholson Gibbs | June 14, 1873 | June 30, 1873 | |||
4. | Alexander Campbell | July 1, 1873 | November 5, 1873 | Conservative | ||
5. | David Laird | November 7, 1873 | October 6, 1876 | Liberal | 2 (Mackenzie) | |
* | Richard William Scott (acting) | October 7, 1876 | October 23, 1876 | |||
6. | David Mills | October 24, 1876 | October 8, 1878 | |||
7. | Sir John A. Macdonald | October 17, 1878 | October 2, 1887 | Liberal-Conservative | 3 (Macdonald) | |
8. | Thomas White | October 3, 1887 | April 21, 1888 | Conservative | ||
* | Sir John A. Macdonald (acting) | May 8, 1888 | September 24, 1888 | Liberal-Conservative | ||
9. | Edgar Dewdney | September 25, 1888 | June 6, 1891 | Conservative | ||
June 16, 1891 | October 16, 1892 | 4 (Abbott) | ||||
10. | Thomas Mayne Daly | October 17, 1892 | November 24, 1892 | Liberal-Conservative | ||
December 5, 1892 | December 12, 1894 | 5 (Thompson) | ||||
December 21, 1894 | April 27, 1896 | 6 (Bowell) | ||||
11. | Hugh John Macdonald | May 1, 1896 | July 8, 1896 | Conservative | 7 (Tupper) | |
12. | Richard William Scott (acting) | July 17, 1896 | November 16, 1896 | Liberal | 8 (Laurier) | |
13. | Clifford Sifton | November 17, 1896 | February 28, 1905 | |||
14. | Sir Wilfrid Laurier (acting) | March 13, 1905 | April 7, 1905 | |||
15. | Frank Oliver | April 8, 1905 | October 6, 1911 | |||
16. | Robert Rogers | October 10, 1911 | October 28, 1912 | Conservative | 9 (Borden) | |
17. | William James Roche | October 29, 1912 | October 12, 1917 | |||
18. | Arthur Meighen | October 12, 1917 | July 10, 1920 | Unionist | 10 (Borden) | |
19. | Sir James Alexander Lougheed | July 10, 1920 | December 29, 1921 | Liberal-Conservative | 11 (Meighen) | |
20. | Charles Stewart | December 29, 1921 | June 28, 1926 | Liberal | 12 (Mackenzie King) | |
21. | Henry Herbert Stevens (acting) | June 29, 1926 | July 12, 1926 | Conservative | 13 (Meighen) | |
22. | Richard Bedford Bennett (acting) | July 13, 1926 | September 25, 1926 | |||
23. | Charles Stewart | September 26, 1926 | June 26, 1930 | Liberal | 14 (Mackenzie King) | |
24. | Ian Alistair Mackenzie | June 27, 1930 | August 7, 1930 | |||
25. | Thomas Gerow Murphy | August 7, 1930 | October 23, 1935 | Conservative | 15 (Bennett) | |
26. | Thomas Alexander Crerar | October 23, 1935 | November 30, 1936 | Liberal | 16 (Mackenzie King) | |
Minister responsible for Indian Affairs (Minister of the Interior, Minister of Mines) | ||||||
27. | Thomas Alexander Crerar | December 1, 1936 | April 17, 1945 | Liberal | 16 (Mackenzie King) | |
28. | James Allison Glen | April 18, 1945 | June 10, 1948 | |||
29. | James Angus MacKinnon | June 10, 1948 | November 15, 1948 | |||
November 15, 1948 | March 31, 1949 | 17 (St. Laurent) | ||||
30. | Colin William George Gibson | April 1, 1949 | January 17, 1950 | |||
Minister responsible for Indian Affairs (Minister of Citizenship) | ||||||
31. | Walter Harris | January 18, 1950 | June 30, 1954 | Liberal | 17 (St. Laurent) | |
32. | Jack Pickersgill | July 1, 1954 | June 21, 1957 | |||
* | E. Davie Fulton (Acting) | June 21, 1957 | May 11, 1958 | Progressive Conservative | 18 (Diefenbaker) | |
33. | Ellen Fairclough | May 12, 1958 | August 8, 1962 | |||
34. | Dick Bell | August 9, 1962 | April 22, 1963 | |||
35. | Guy Favreau | April 22, 1963 | February 2, 1964 | Liberal | 19 (Pearson) | |
36. | René Tremblay | February 3, 1964 | February 14, 1965 | |||
37. | John Robert Nicholson | February 15, 1965 | December 17, 1965 | |||
38. | Jean Marchand | December 18, 1965 | September 30, 1966 | |||
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development | ||||||
39. | Arthur Laing | October 1, 1966 | April 20, 1968 | Liberal | 19 (Pearson) | |
April 20, 1968 | July 5, 1968 | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) | ||||
40. | Jean Chrétien | July 5, 1968 | August 7, 1974 | |||
41. | J. Judd Buchanan | August 8, 1974 | September 13, 1976 | |||
42. | Warren Allmand | September 14, 1976 | September 15, 1977 | |||
43. | James Hugh Faulkner | September 16, 1977 | June 3, 1979 | |||
44. | Jake Epp | June 4, 1979 | March 2, 1980 | Progressive Conservative | 21 (Clark) | |
45. | John Munro | March 3, 1980 | June 29, 1984 | Liberal | 22 (P. E. Trudeau) | |
46. | Doug Frith | June 30, 1984 | September 16, 1984 | 23 (Turner) | ||
47. | David Crombie | September 17, 1984 | June 29, 1986 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) | |
48. | Bill McKnight | June 30, 1986 | January 29, 1989 | |||
49. | Pierre Cadieux | January 30, 1989 | February 22, 1990 | |||
50. | Tom Siddon | February 23, 1990 | June 24, 1993 | |||
51. | Pauline Browes | June 25, 1993 | November 3, 1993 | 25 (Campbell) | ||
52. | Ron Irwin | November 4, 1993 | June 10, 1997 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) | |
53. | Jane Stewart | June 11, 1997 | August 2, 1999 | |||
54. | Bob Nault | August 3, 1999 | December 11, 2003 | |||
55. | Andy Mitchell | December 12, 2003 | July 19, 2004 | 27 (Martin) | ||
56. | Andy Scott | July 20, 2004 | February 5, 2006 | |||
57. | Jim Prentice | February 6, 2006 | August 14, 2007 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) | |
58. | Chuck Strahl | August 14, 2007 | August 6, 2010 | |||
59. | John Morris Duncan | August 6, 2010 | May 17, 2011 | |||
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development | ||||||
John Morris Duncan | May 18, 2011 | February 15, 2013 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) | ||
* | James Moore, Acting Minister | February 15, 2013 | February 22, 2013 | |||
60. | Bernard Valcourt | February 22, 2013 | November 3, 2015 | |||
Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs | ||||||
61. | Carolyn Bennett | November 4, 2015 | Present | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
Prior to 1966, responsibilities for the Indian Affairs portion of this portfolio fell under the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (List), and the Northern Development portion under the Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources (List).
See also
- List of Canadian Ministers of Mines and Resources (1936–1950)
- Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
- Indian Register
- Indian Agent (Canada)
- Indian Department, for historical background
- Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
- Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
- The Canadian Crown and First Nations, Inuit and Métis
- Canadian Aboriginal case law
- Aboriginal peoples in Canada
- Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Australia)
References
- ↑ "What’s in a name? Indian Affairs is no more", Globe and Mail, May 18, 2011
- ↑ Departments that have been responsible for Indian Affairs
- ↑ departments that have been responsible for Northern Affairs
- ↑ Acts under Minister Responsibilities