The BC Indian Position Paper, Draft Copy - Union of British ...

for purposes of constitutional guarantees under protection of the2ritish itorth .,mepica .st.: legal definition for registered Indiansis needed with an option that Indians may renounce their India.1 status,become enfranchised, and receive due comflpcnsation for losing theirstatus.i:ecognition of Indian status is e~ential for justice.$e want to en-joy all the privileges of Canadian society but emphasize that rscognitionof Indian status is necessary to enable us to achieve thise iuality. Otherwise, we become non-entities in our own land. Recognitionof Indians as a distinct etlmic group is an important contributionto the multi-cultural nature of Canada as a nation..Te believe like the Federal ;ovrnn~ont that there should be apositive recognition by everyone of the unique contribution ofIndian culture to Canadian life,>Je believe that the only say tomaintain our culture is for us to re~ilain as Indians.To preserveour culture it is necessary to preserve our status, rights, landsand traditions. Our constitutional rights are mandatory. iJe asIndians do not want sympathy from the non-Indian Canadian sociiety..Je want to be able to do our own thing: to keep our own identitjr, topractice with pride and dignity our cultural heritage as aborigines.:$itthin the framework of society, without Jeopardy or wanting tojeopardize the rights of our non-Indian neighbors, we want non-Indiansto appreciate our rights as first citizens of Canada.It is necessalythat these rights be recognized through education, museums and parks,reserves, encouragement of cultural traditions, and appropriatelegislation.1. Educati~The preseiit educational systen has piioven inadequate for Indiansand mst be revised.It mst provide Indians with the means toachieve a levsl of education they need for furthering Indiandevelopineat .