Anishinabek political alliance in the post-confederation period: the Grand General Indian Council of Ontario

• Other Authors: Shields, Norman D.
• Language: English
• Published: National Library of Canada 2001
• Subjects: HistoryGrand General Indian Council (Ont.); HistoryAnishinabek Grand Council; HistoireGrand General Indian Council (Ont.); HistoireAnishinabek Grand Council; Ojibwa Indians > Politics and government; Ojibwa Indians > Ontario > Politics and government; Ojibwa Indians > Government relations; Ojibwa Indians > Canada > Government relations; Ojibwa (Indiens) > Politique et gouvernement; Ojibwa (Indiens) > Ontario > Politique et gouvernement; Ojibwa (Indiens) > Relations avec l'État; Ojibwa (Indiens) > Canada > Relations avec l'État; 15.86; 73.72; 6,33; ang; Canada; Indian; anishina*; First Nations
• Online Access: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp05/MQ63366.pdf; http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp05/MQ63366.pdf; http://webdoc.sub.gwdg.de/ebook/p/2005/library_archives_canada/MQ63366.pdf

The Anishinabek living in present-day eastern Ontario renewed a longstanding tradition of inter-village alliance in the post-Confederation period of Canada at the Grand General Indian Council of Ontario, the Grand Council. In former times, the general council fulfilled both social and political needs for unity between small, but autonomous, neighbouring Anishinabek communities. Delegates struggled to nurture and extend that unity in the post-Confederation period through various social activities, and many of the attitudes and beliefs that informed leadership at the earlier general councils remained prevalent at the Grand Council. Delegates to the Grand Council principally reviewed federal Indian legislation, which they considered to be a statement of the government's relationship with, and responsibilities to, First Nations in Canada. Additionally, they discussed several other aspects of their relationship with the federal government such as treaties, rights obtained through military service, and the administration of the Department of Indian Affairs. Although the Department of Indian Affairs and the Grand Council maintained generally open and frank lines of communication, few Grand Council recommendations found their way into federal legislation. Notwithstanding the Grand Council's inability to establish truly reciprocal interpersonal relations with the federal government that this failure implied, many Anishinabek communities continued to see merit in expending scarce communal funds for its maintenance. The Grand Council was one political sphere outside the immediate control of the government. At the council, delegates honed their leadership skills, obtained a wider knowledge of Anishinabek history, became mindful of the broader implications of federal legislation and exchanged practical solutions to common problems. Copyright: Norman D. Shields Ont., Univ., Thesis (M.A.)--Kingston, 2001 Online edition 6,63 MB