Who is a citizen?

Hi Friends
Today lets talk about First Nation citizens.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada has charged the Nations with defining just that.
The constitution Act defines 3 type of Aboriginal people, Indian, Metis, and Inuit but the latter two are not defined as Indian as per the Indian Act. Not all First Nation people have status nor do all First Nation people have membership in bands.
Under section 10 of the Indian Act bands can assume control of their own membership.

Part of this process is the formulation of their own rules or codes. As a result some status Indians will NOT be members of a band, While on the other hand some members of bands will NOT meet the requirements of registration under the Indian Act. Just as it is today.

Recognition of registered Indian Status by the Federal and Provincial Governments, have meant eligibility to a wide range of services and programs(by province, or territory) for those who meet the strict requirements of band membership as well as Indian status.

Historically, eligibility to status and membership have been controversial and complex. Over the years,there have been many rules deciding who is eligible for registration as an Indian under Indian Act rules.

What I've found out thus far about the various nations codes does nothing to eliminate these issues.
For example some nations have gone with two parent rule (both parents must be status 62s) some have adopted 50% blood quantum, and speak the language, much like Quebec's language laws,(put in place to preserve the language)-more on this topic at a later date,
and yet others have gone one parent, but then have attached such a variety of conditions as to make it even more prohibitive.

Come on you can't have it both ways people. You can't have bigger numbers to fight for the adherence to the treaties, but less people to share with.

Enter the Union of Ontario Indians. The Anishinabek Nation has named a commissioner to create a citizenship law for its 42 member First Nation.
The law proposed to do several things, chief among them, replace the concept of status with citizenship akin to those used by the worlds sovereign nations. Currently if your the grandchild of an out married women (native non-native marriage) you have no status.Where do these citizens belong? In a country of hyphenated citizens, where are they from?
The Anishinbek Nations solution is a law that will determine citizenship based on the linage of at least one grandparent.

Ambitious yes. Doable yes. To make it so, we need the full commitment of all the First Nations. A willingness to embrace your off reserve members and a determination to include the grand children of the enfranchised women. It is beyond the time when First Nations started looking at citizenship exactly as other Nations such as Canada does.

As in the Greek legend of Pandora's box, let us not let envy, greed, jealousy,and racism stand between us, and always remember that at the bottom of Pandora's box lay hope.