21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality

Excellent book .Should be required reading for all settlers. Discover why First Nations have struggled so much for generatioms. Why suicides ,addiction , incarceration . This book explains why.Reconciliation is a Canadisn job . Start here

Excellent book, well written and easily understood. Bob has done a good job informing we settler folk of our shameful treatment of Indigenous people and how we need to listen, learn and allow them to heal.

This is a book that everyone should read.

Every Canadian needs to read this book. The Indian Act, an unbelievably racist law that is still in force, has destroyed lives, shattered generations, and is a 300-foot high roadblock standing in the way of any meaningful reconciliation. My only gripe is that this book was too short - there was so much more to say. But it serves as an excellent introduction to many more years of learning, action and healing.

This wee book breaks down the Indian Act into bite-sized pieces so Canadians, of all backgrounds, can have a better understanding about the Indian Act and how it still influences our country today.Before we can reconcile with the past and move on together, we need to understand what has happened, what was promised and continues to happen to our Indigenous citizens. I was shocked, mad and saddened to read about the extent to which our own government went to commit genocide against the peoples who originally lived in Canada. Its hubris was shameful, arrogant and wrong. This book lays out the effects on Indigenous peoples that came from the Indian Act (destruction of cultures and languages and the continued and far-reaching effects of the horrors of the residential schools).Joseph gives readers the key issues in the Indian Act and includes an extensive appendix, a glossary and discussion topics (which take up almost half of the book). Going into this book, I thought I had a decent knowledge about this aspect of Canadian history but after reading 21 Things … I now realize that I was not nearly as informed as I had thought.After reading this book, I have a much better understanding about the issues and hope that reconciliation and healing can be accomplished soon. Today I'm excited to go to my very first pow wow to learn more about some local Indigenous cultures. Education, sympathy, understanding the importance of diversity and acknowledgement of the past are key for all of us to move on.

It’s our responsibility as Canadians to read and know about what Canada has done to our indigenous people. This is a great book, so easy to read and well organized. It’s inspired me to learn more on how to be a true ally. Education is the first step, and this book helps tremendously.

Part of my journey to claim my Native status involved discovering more about the laws that govern all Natives in Canada.It was not until I moved to a Reserve with my partner that I learned all Canadians are misinformed and/or uninformed by the Canadian Government with respect to Natives and Native issues. Once fully assimilated, I ignorantly sided with the vast majority of Canadians with regard to Native issues...NOT ANYMORE!I first read The Indian Act of 1876 (along with revisions/codicils) and found it to be a daunting and contradictory document of Apartheid. The Indian Act should have no place in Canada of 2022 as it is an act borne of prejudice, bias, intolerance, ignorance, and treacherous intent that has been used to manipulate and control the masses (Natives and non-Natives alike) with respect to Native issues. By issues, the Act is quite clear in stating that the Non-Native side is about the total assimilation of all Natives so that ALL LAND, RESOURCES, AND PROFITS OF SUCH REVERT TO THE GOVERNMENT AND CONTROLLING INTERESTS OF SAID ITEMS!!!Now, The Indian Act is not an easy read nor readily understood. It is written in legalese that most people will not read out of choice. And for those who do wish to read it and understand, it takes determination, dedication, and perseverance.While this little book "21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act" does not cover all of the details contained within The Act, it does provide an excellent synopsis of the most damning articles of The Indian Act. It also relates practical examples of how The Indian Act has and is still being used in Canada.I strongly suggest that EVERY Canadian read this book. In fact, it should be a part of every junior high education, in every classroom, in every province and territory of Canada. Not until everyone is educated, Natives and non-Natives, will continue to be at odds with respect to current Native issues.It is time that both sides of the story of colonization are told and this little book is a great way to start that process and open dialogue that is no based in lies, half-truths, and misinformation.The Indian Act is Canada's dirty little secret that makes me feel ashamed to be Canadian...ashamed that all I believed (was taught in school and through news & government) made me ignorant of the harsh truth of what it is to be Native in Canada in 2022. I am ashamed that I believed government propaganda without question until I applied for status at age 60. I am ashamed that assimilation made me feel ashamed of my Native heritage and unwilling to claim it until living on a Reserve woke me up!Please...if you read no other book this year, please read this one...please take the time to find out who you are as a Canadian and decide for yourself how Apartheid in Canada should be addressed. As a once fully assimilated non-status Native whose opinions on Native issues has been radically altered, I urge you to know what you are talking about before speaking openly with respect to Natives, Native lands, Native monies, and Native issues.READ THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE CANADIAN!!!!!

Absolutely brilliant book.

Mit grossem Interesse habe ich das Buch von Bob Joseph (das leider noch nicht in Deutsch erschienen ist) gelesen und auch die vielen positiven Bewertungen, denen ich mich nur anschliessen kann. Viele Leserbriefe aber erstaunen mich als interessierter Schweizer, stehen die Indian Act doch, wie ich bei Joseph lese, spätestens seit den White Papers von Pierre Trudeau, der 1969 die Indian Act streichen wollte, auf der politischen Traktandenliste. Nicht nur die Opposition aus indigenen Kreisen, sondern auch das Desinteresse breiter Bevölkerungsschichten liessen diese und auch spätere Ansätze versanden. Politik ist die "Kunst des Möglichen in der Gegenwart", das Problem komplex und seit den letzten Jahren stark emotionalisiert ("blame and shame"). Letzteres ist durchaus berechtigt, wenn die jeweilige Gegenseite sich einfach in Stillschweigen oder Ignoranz übt oder mit Worten wie "Rassismus" oder noch schlimmer operiert, bringt aber keine befriedigende Lösung des politischen Problems.Die Staatsform der Demokratie bietet eine Vielzahl von Möglichkeiten, sei es auf der Ebene des Staates, der Provinzen, der Bezirke oder der Gemeinden, um einen modus vivendi bei berechtigten Anliegen zu finden und letztlich zu neuem *Recht" werden zu lassen. Der Staat Kanada hat mit seinem föderalistischen Aufbau schon einiges bewegen können. Doch gute Lösungen benötigen oft Zeit, manchmal viel Zeit, aber auch breit zur Kenntnis genommene Informationen und offene Diskussionen und die Bereitschaft aller, eine Lösung zu finden und mitzutragen. Ziel muss es doch sein, dass alle Personen im Vielvölkerstaat Kanada sich nicht als "Rasse", sondern stolz als "Kanadier" fühlen wollen und können.

The 2.5 hours I spent reading this book have really been an education. I was aware of some of the “21 things” from previous reading, but not always their consequences. I am stunned to realize that during all those hours I spent playing darts at the Legion as a 14-15 year old, First Nations veterans were not legally allowed to be there. (Thing 9).I am still stunned by Thing 17.Great value for money and time spent reading.I will recommend, and likely gift copies of this in future.

This book was one of the best I've ever read. The author talks about how about 150,000 children suffered by going to residential schools during the years when these institutions were in operation.I cannot imagine the pain and suffering these children went through. I know what it's like to leave home and be far away from the people you love. For it to happen to young children, against their will, is horrible. When these children were taken out of their homes and communities, they were separated from their parents and families.They weren't allowed to speak their languages at school and were beaten and assaulted for doing so, The whole purpose of the residential school system was to assimilate them into white society. The people that were in charge didn't want 'Indians' to exist anymore. The lack of understanding of First Nations customs and traditions show that the real 'savages' were the people running these schools to begin with.The book was technically about the Indian Act, what its purpose was (the assimilation of First Nations) and the relationship that existed between First Nations and the Crown before this act came to be in 1876. My understanding, after having read the book is that when the Royal Proclamation was created in 1763 between First Nations and the British, the document was seen as being between two nations, First Nations and the British Crown. What ensued was a growing lack of understand between the Canadian government to recognize First Nations as countries and rather to see them as wards of the state.The first residential schools were created long before the Indian Act, but most likely had the same objective as the schools that were formed after the act was passed. The disease infested schools were where First Nations children went to die. They had weakened immune systems because of being so far away from home that they either succumed to the conditions that were present in the schools or died of a broken heart. When I read that last part in the book, I felt awful about what had happened.When First Nations finally received a formal apology for the destruction the residential school system had caused, back in 2008, it was a good first step, but certainly not enough. A few years later, that government displayed a lack of understanding about the situation with someone high up in office stating that Canada did not have a history of colonialism, when in fact we do.The 94 recommendations are something that the government in power, whatever their stripes, should be working on. Anything less shows a total lack of understanding of First Nations issues and the legacy of residential schools. Only about 80,000 survivors remained when the book was written so I hope that the government can take concrete action to right the mistakes of the past. No matter what they do, First Nations will never be as they were before this situation began.I hope that the Canadian government takes a good look at itself if it tries to avoid their responsibilities towards First Nations. It's the least the government can do for them.