Pages
- A handwritten draft of an essay, written by Walter Rudnicki, discussing the difference between "Treaty Indians" and "Status Indians". Rudnicki argues that the Canadian government has a vested interest in keeping indigenous peoples thinking of themselves as "Status Indians" and therefore as an assimilated part of Canadian culture. This essay is much rougher and less legible than the related "The Difference Between 'Treaty' and 'Status'", which can be found here: http://syn.lib.umanitoba.ca/fedora/repository/uofm:4676
- A first draft of a proposal for a Economic development study, proposed by the Tribal Chiefs Association of North Eastern Alberta, to identify and assess the important factors which are relevant to the development needs and future economic well-being of the Indian Bands represented by the Tribal Chiefs Association of North Eastern Alberta. The study deals primarily with the issue of more immediate funding requirements to upgrade the communities represented by the Association and to equip their people for full involvement in the region's development.
- A second part of Walter Rudnicki's "Canada's Dirty Little Secret: A Race-Based Policy to Extinguish Aboriginal Nations With Finality" (item UM_mss331_A10-039_010_0001_001_0001). This installment, also published under the name Eagle Shield, discusses historical and contemporary initiatives of the Canadian government to assimilate indigenous peoples entirely into the larger Canadian population, thus destroying discrete indigenous cultures. The events described in the article took place over a period spanning from 1913 to the late 1980s. A handwritten note at the end of this facsimile transmission says "final chapter pending"; this chapter does not appear to be included in this collection. While the paper itself is undated, the transmission is timestamped 6 March 2000.
- A facsimile copy of a paper written by Walter Rudnicki under the pseudonym "Eagle Shield". This paper, based on a review of colonial records as well as federal policy documents from Confederation to the present day, asserts that the Canadian government is acting to erase the existence of indigenous peoples through assimilating them into a broader Canadian culture. While the paper itself is undated, the facsimile is timestamped 24 January 2000.
- A document detailing objectives and strategies of the chiefs' committee on enforcement, as compiled at Regina, Saskatchewan, on 17 and 18 October 1996. Objectives listed include "Stop INAC amendment process", "Propose opt-out or community-specific amendments", and "Establish First Nations alternative process--negotiate and implement".
- A second draft, dated 7 October 1992, of Walter Rudnicki's paper "The Aboriginal Constitutional Package of 1992: Its Hidden Sting". This paper examines attempted changes to the Canadian Constitution (specifically the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord), the effects these changes would have on Canada's indigenous population, and the stances of the various provinces and territories on the status of indigenous peoples. Rudnicki closes with recommendations regarding the Charlottetown Accord: that the aboriginal package should be rejected in its present form; that it may be desirable to seek a court injunction that halts further consideration of the amendments until proper procedure for ratification and consent is determined; and that the rejection of the constitutional amendments should be on the basis that the best that is possible is not good enough, that the acceptance of these amendments would result in the assimilation and extinction of indigenous peoples as a distinct population. Appendices are attached including tables contrasting the constitutional and operational tracks of the government's plans and a series of editorial cartoons relating to the constitutional package. Another folder containing a duplicate of this paper has the following written on the inside of the folder in Rudnicki's handwriting: "Hidden Sting: This paper got wide circulation in Indian communities. Also distributed at all-chiefs meeting in Squamish, BC, which was called by AFN to ratify Charlottetown proposals. Effect was rejection by Indians at Squamish and in community votes. In 1994 - paper also given to Bertha Wilson by Royal Commission member (Rosalie Tizya). Wilson response was that paper 'interesting'."
- A handwritten draft of a letter, written by Walter Rudnicki on behalf of Chief Clifford Ahenakew to Pierre H. Cadieux, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The letter is regarding the closing of the Shellbrook district office of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, arguing that the government has not fulfilled its obligations to the people served by the Shellbrook office.
- A draft of a discussion paper, written by Walter Rudnicki to address Bill C-52, "An Act Relating to Self-Government For Indian Nations", in 1982. This paper "will outline proposals for legislation to enable local Indian governments at the Band level to become responsible for the social, economic, political, and cultural development of their own Indian communities. The legislation would not be mandatory for all Indian bands; rather, each Band would have the option of deciding if and when it would choose to come under the provisions of this legislation in preference to continuing to be governed by the provisions of the present Indian Act." Rudnicki provides background for his arguments, discussing the history of the relationship between Canadian indigenous peoples and the Canadian government; he also provides a extensive list of the details for his proposed local indigenous govenment legislation.
- A handwritten draft of an essay written by Walter Rudnicki on behalf of a Joint Council on 22 August 1981. This paper outlines the strategy and position being developed by indigenous organizations, and discusses the need for negotiating and implementing change with the Canadian government. The Joint Council's preferred option is indigenous statehood, and this paper outlines their plans for that eventuality. The typed version of the essay may be found at http://syn.lib.umanitoba.ca/fedora/repository/uofm:5542.
- A near-final draft of Walter Rudnicki's paper "Legislating a First Nation Vanishing Act: Parallels with a Failed U.S. Termination Policy". This draft, dated June 2003, discusses the actions and motivations of the Canadian government regarding the indigenous peoples of Canada. Rudnicki asserts that "the dispersal, absorption, and assimilation of First Nations has always been the federal goal". Rudnicki looks at the history of indigenous-government relations from the 1870s to the 21st century, and compares them to similar relations between the indigenous peoples of the United States of America and the American government; the American government explicitly endorsed the termination and assimilation of indigenous peoples.
- A draft, dated 4 September 1992, of Walter Rudnicki's paper "The Aboriginal Constitutional Package of 1992: Its Hidden Sting". This paper examines attempted changes to the Canadian Constitution (specifically the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord), the effects these changes would have on Canada's indigenous population, and the stances of the various provinces and territories on the status of indigenous peoples. Rudnicki closes with recommendations regarding the Charlottetown Accord: that the aboriginal package should be rejected in its present form; that it may be desirable to seek a court injunction that halts further consideration of the amendments until proper procedure for ratification and consent is determined; and that the rejection of the constitutional amendments should be on the basis that the best that is possible is not good enough, that the acceptance of these amendments would result in the assimilation and extinction of indigenous peoples as a distinct population.
- An unfinished draft of an essay written by Walter Rudnicki on Jean Chrétien's 1969 White Paper. Chrétien was then Minister of Indian Affairs and his paper recommended the rejection of indigenous land claims and the assimilation of indigenous peoples into the Canadian population. Rudnicki's draft discusses the history and background of the White Paper.
- A four-page typed summary, written by Walter Rudnicki in August 1976, of human rights activities in Canadian schools. The paper lists the range and types of activities which have been reported, including the organisation and delivery of such activities, the activities' target groups, their geographic scope, and the types of projects themselves.
- Typed notes for a speech given by Walter Rudnicki at McMaster University on 2 June 1982. The speech deals with the place of indigenous peoples within the government of Canada, as well as with the struggle for indigenous rights. Rudnicki discusses three options for the political fate of indigenous peoples; this speech is related to his paper "The Third Option: A Native Role in Confederation".
- An essay written by Walter Rudnicki on 10 January 1983. In this essay, Rudnicki discusses a proposed framework for aboriginal self-government. The essay deals with the history of aboriginal-government relations in Canada, the problems specific to self-government in Canada, and phases through which self-government could be attained. Rudnicki also includes graphics and flow charts illustrating the power flow within and emanating from the Canadian government.
- A report, published by Walter Rudnicki and the Policy Development Group in October 1986, on the Canadian government's position on and reaction to the issue of aboriginal self-government. The introduction to the paper states that its purpose is to address questions relating to the Department of Indian Affairs and its flexibility regarding approaches to indigenous self-government. Rudnicki also attempts an analysis of Ottawa's policy environment; he also approaches the issue in both its modern and historical contexts, identifies a set of trends and implications of Ottawa's current approach to aboriginal self-government, and develops a number of criteria which "may be useful in sorting out and evaluating various models" of aboriginal self-government. A note on the cover page, written by Rudnicki, reads "This paper influenced results of FMC in 1986".
- An essay written by Walter Rudnicki on behalf of a Joint Council on 22 August 1981. This paper outlines the strategy and position being developed by indigenous organizations, and discusses the need for negotiating and implementing change with the Canadian government. The Joint Council's preferred option is indigenous statehood, and this paper outlines their plans for that eventuality.
- A proposal, written by Walter Rudnicki to John Crump on June 1, 1993.This project outline is the successful bid written by Rudnicki to research the relocation history of Indigenous populations across Canada for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. This Policy Development Group-RCAP contract did not continue past the research stage.
- A discussion paper, written by Walter Rudnicki on 11 August 1978, on issues facing indigenous peoples in Canada and on possible strategies that could be implemented to cope with these issues. This paper was written for the National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First Nations). The issues Rudnicki discusses are the issue of aboriginal rights, treaties, and agreements; the issue of poverty; and the issue of government policy. He suggests four policy options, makes recommendations, and, in an appendix, suggests an organisational concept for the NIB.