The Indian Act & Africville–Racism, human geo

[2025-12-09 Tue]

1. The Indian Act

The Minister of Indian Affairs still has ultimate authority over many aspects of Indigenous peoples’ lives.
The Indian Act shapes the relationship between the Canadian government and First Nations.
introduced in the 1800s to control First Nations life.
Restricted cultural and religious practices.
Created and enforced the residential school system.
Contains no guarantees for essential services: governments are not required to provide water, electricity, housing, … etc.
'Disempowered' traditional Indigenous governance systems.
Interfered with Indigenous self-determination and self-governance.
Indigenous peoples resisted these policies, fighting to preserve their cultures and resist colonization.
“Indian status” rules were discriminatory: Indigenous women lost their status if they married non-status men, their children often had “partial” or no status, reducing their legal recognition.
These policies contributed to a decline in legally recognized “status Indians.”
Enforced many forms of systemic discrimination.

Africville lacked essential infrastructure due to government neglect & systemic racism.. There was no proper water, sewage, garbage collection, or transportation services.
It was labeled a “slum,” which the city used to justify forced relocation.
Residents were removed, often without fair compensation, and the community was destroyed.
Africville was home to Black Canadians, many descended from African Americans who sought freedom and opportunity in Canada.
Residents built a strong, close-knit community, including the Seaview United Baptist Church. It was later demolished under the guise of urban renewal.
Former residents fought for decades for recognition and a formal apology for the destruction of their community.