How can a country that prides itself on reconciliation still reproduce colonial inequalities? In this powerful and accessible book, political scientist Thierry Rodon and Innu researcher Helene Boivin trace more than five centuries of Indigenous-state relations to reveal how Canada's policies toward First Nations, Inuit, and Metis have evolved-and where they continue to fail. From the first alliances of New France to today's struggles over land, self-government, and resource development, the authors uncover the contradictions at the heart of Canadian policy: recognition without true equality, consultation without consent, progress shadowed by persistent injustice. Yet this is also a story of resilience. Across every chapter, Indigenous Peoples emerge not as victims of history, but as political actors who have shaped-and continue to reshape-the country. With clear analysis, supported by data, and comparative perspectives from Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, Indigenous Policies in Canada offers an indispensable guide to understanding how colonialism endures-and how it can be dismantled. Featuring a moving foreword by Senator Michele Audette, this book invites readers to look beyond reconciliation as rhetoric and imagine a future grounded in respect, recognition, and shared responsibility. This text is a vital read for students, policymakers, and anyone seeking to understand the real foundations-and the unfinished work-of reconciliation in Canada.
Thierry Rodon is a full professor in the Department of Political Science at Laval University and Research Chair on Sustainable Development in the North. He is also director of the Interuniversity Center for Indigenous Studies and Research (CIERA), and directs MinErAL, an international research network on the relationship between extractive industries and Indigenous communities. The author of numerous publications on Aboriginal politics, treaties, and self-government in Canada, he studies Aboriginal and northern politics in Canada and in the circumpolar world. Helene Boivin is a member of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation, one of the nine Innu First Nations of the province of Quebec, located in Mashteuiatsh on the northwest shore of Lac Saint Jean. She is currently Director of the Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects and Consultant specializing in historical and contemporary issues and realities of Canadian First Nations. She was the director of intergovernmental affairs for the community and has been involved in land claim negotiations since 1995.
List of Sidebars, Figures, Tables, and Abbreviations Foreword Acknowledgement Introduction Chapter 1: Indigenous Peoples in Canada Part I: A long and complex relationship Chapter 2: The Evolution of Indigenous Policies: From Alliances to Colonization Chapter 3: The Quest for a New Relationship: Impasses and Failures Chapter 4: Aboriginal Law: Recognizing the Rights of Indigenous Peoples while Upholding Canada's Sovereignty Chapter 5: Indigenous Peoples, the Federal Government, and the Provinces Part II: Challenging the colonial order Chapter 6: Indigenous Resistance and Power Chapter 7: Indigenous Women and Canada's Indigenous Policies Part III: Canada's indigenous policies Chapter 8: Canadian Land Claims Policies Chapter 9: Many Paths, One Objective: Indigenous Self-Government in Canada Chapter 10: The Long and Winding Road Towards Inuit Self-Government Chapter 11: Tradition and Transformation in Indigenous Economies Part IV: Other indigenous policies Chapter 12: Quebec and the Indigenous Peoples: A Clash of Nationalism Chapter 13: Indigenous Policies in Other Anglo-Saxon Settler States: United States, Australia, and New Zealand Conclusion Glossary References Rulings Cited
