Mackenzie on the History of Indian Act in Newfoundland

 David Mackenzie of the Department of History, Ryerson University has published "The Indian Act and the Aboriginal Peoples of Newfoundland at the Time of Confederation," in Newfoundland & Labrador Studies Fall 2010, Vol. 25 Issue 2.

The Abstract:

The article presents an in-depth examination into the legal history and status of North American Indian tribes in Newfoundland. Contextual details are given describing the legal actions of the Mi'kmaq Nation in 1989 to gain recognition. Discussion is then offered evaluating why the tribe was not formally recognized at the province's entrance to the Confederation in 1948. Additional analysis is offered examining the status and legal provisions of Native Americans based in the 1867 Constitution. Conclusions are provided explaining why Indian's rights were not more prominent in the province's constitutional history.