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Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples facts for kids

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The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) was a special group set up by the Canadian government in 1991. Its main goal was to study the relationship between Indigenous peoples in Canada, the Canadian government, and Canadian society. This commission was started after important events like the Oka Crisis and problems with the Meech Lake Accord. In 1996, the commission released a huge report. This report was 4,000 pages long and suggested a 20-year plan for big changes.

What the Commission Looked At

The commission looked into how Indigenous peoples and the Canadian government have worked together over time. Indigenous peoples include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. The commission wanted to find solutions to problems that Indigenous peoples faced.

They studied many important topics. This included the history of how the government and Indigenous peoples interacted. They also looked at the idea of self-government for Indigenous groups. They checked the legal meaning of old agreements like the Royal Proclamation of 1763, the Indian Act, and the Numbered Treaties. They also reviewed court decisions about Indigenous rights.

Listening to People

The commission had important Indigenous members and judges. Some of these were Paul Chartrand, J. Peter Meekison, Viola Robinson, Mary Sillett, and Bertha Wilson. It was led by René Dussault and Georges Erasmus.

The commission had a budget of $60 million. Its five members visited 96 First Nation communities. They held 178 days of public hearings. This allowed them to listen to many different people and learn about their experiences.

The Final Report

The commission released its final report in November 1996. This report was very long, with five volumes and 4,000 pages. It covered many different topics. It made 440 recommendations. These suggestions called for big changes in how Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and governments in Canada relate to each other.

Here are some of the main ideas from the report:

  • New Laws: Create new laws, including a new Royal Proclamation. This would show Canada's promise to build a new relationship. It would also set up a process for treaties and recognize Indigenous nations and governments.
  • Indigenous Government: Recognize a new level of government for Indigenous peoples. This government would follow the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It would have power over matters related to the well-being of Indigenous peoples and their lands.
  • Government Departments: Replace the federal Department of Indian Affairs. Instead, there would be two new departments. One would work on the new relationship with Indigenous nations. The other would help communities that do not govern themselves.
  • Indigenous Parliament: Create a special parliament for Indigenous peoples.
  • Land and Resources: Give more land and resources to Indigenous groups.
  • Métis Rights: Recognize Métis self-government. Provide them with a land base. Also, recognize Métis rights to hunt and fish on Crown land.
  • Social Needs: Start programs to help with social issues, education, health, and housing. This included training 10,000 health workers over ten years. It also suggested creating a university for Indigenous peoples. It recognized that Indigenous nations should have power over child welfare.

The report suggested a 20-year plan to put these recommendations into action. In 2016, one of the commissioners, Paul Chartrand, said that not much had changed.

Legacy of the Report

Most of the RCAP recommendations were not fully put into practice. However, the report still had a big impact. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada said that the RCAP report helped non-Indigenous Canadians understand the lives of Indigenous peoples. It also changed how people talked about these issues.

The RCAP report also helped people in Western Canada see how important it was to save Canada's Indigenous languages. Many of these languages are in danger of disappearing. Because of this threat, groups like the Canadian Indigenous Languages and Literacy Development Institute (CILLDI) were created. These groups work to bring Indigenous languages back to life. CILLDI is now based at the University of Alberta. By 2016, over 1,000 people had joined its summer school programs.

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