First Nations Research - Land Claims

 

This guide lists just a few selected print and electronic information sources available to SFU faculty, students, and staff.  To find additional materials, check the SFU Library catalogue, look at the subject guides for your discipline, or return to First Nations Research Resources. If you do not find what you need, ask for help at the Reference Desk, send an email to AskALibrarian, or contact Moninder Bubber (bubber@sfu.ca)

How to find:

Resources in the SFU Library	Background Information
Guides to Research	Directories of web sites British Columbia | Canada | United States
Journal articles
Definitions

Resources in the SFU Library

Use these subject headings to locate additional materials in the SFU Library Catalogue:

These subject headings can be further broken down geographically, e.g. "Indians of North America -- British Columbia -- Land tenure", or by nation, e.g. "Cree Indians -- Claims"

• Indian land transfers
• Indians of North America -- Canada -- Claims
• Indians of North America -- Land tenure
• Indians of North America -- Treaties
• Inuit -- Canada -- Claims
• Inuit -- Canada -- Land Tenure
• Inuit -- Northwest Territories -- Claims
• Inuit -- Northwest Territories -- Land tenure
• Metis -- Claims
• Metis -- Land tenure

Research guides

• Stolen Lands Broken Promises: Researching the Indian Land Question in B.C (2nd edition, 2005)Bennett Library and Bennett Reference E 78 B9 U552 2005
  
  A guide and bibliography focused on land claims in British Columbia, produced by the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC).   Includes a timeline, glossary, and index.
• A Short Commentary on Land Claims in BC, Dr. Bruce Miller (2003), (from the Union of BC Indian Chiefs site) - 11th Annual National Land Claims Workshop, October 2003, speaking notes. Dr. Bruce Granville Miller, is Professor, Department of Anthropology and Sociology, University of British Columbia

Journal articles

Use these political science / legal indexes to locate journal articles on your topic.

• Canadian Politics (UBC Bibliographies database)
• LawSource, replacing Index to Canadian Legal Literature
• Northern Justice Society Native Crime Bibliography
• PAIS: Public Affairs Information Service

Other databases with useful information include:

• CBCA Complete
• America History and Life (covers North American History)

Definitions

• Glossary of Treaty-Related Terms (BC Ministry of Attorney General Treaty Negotiations Office) (Bennett E 78 B9 G56 1997)

Background information

• Canadian Encyclopedia
  • Indian Treaties
• 
  Brief descriptive entries for milestones in Canadian aboriginal land claims and treaties.  Covers the period 1763 to 1999, including links to full text of treaties and related documents, where available.

Directories of web sites

British Columbia

• BC Treaty Commission
• 
  Extensive information on the treaty process in British Columbia, including status of negotiations by region, nation, and stage level; contact information for commissioners and negotiators in each claim; full text of policies and procedures; an online newsletter; educational resources; and electronic publications.
   
• Treaty Negotiations in British Columbia (BC Ministry of Attorney General Treaty Negotiations Office)
• 
  Detailed and current information on the status of the treaty process by nation and by region.  Definitions and discussion of treaty process, treaty principles, and public consultation and access.  Includes a schedule of meetings and a glossary of treaty terms.

Canada

• Aboriginal Canada Portal - Claims and Treaties
• Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - Treaty Policy Directorate
  Links to full text of treaties and recent news.  Click on "Agreements" to access the full text of framework agreements, agreements in principle, and final agreements in areas such as self government, comprehensive claims, and land governance.  Click on "Specific Claims" for information about the claims process.
  • Agreements
  • Online Research Reports
  • Specific Claims Branch
  • Timelines and Maps
     
• Indian Claims Commission
• 
  "The Indian Claims Commission is an independent body with authority to hold public inquiries into land claims made by First Nations that have been rejected by the Government of Canada."  The website includes a "claimsmap" listing claims by province, and full-text publications such as newsletters, factsheets, and claims reports.
  
• National Aboriginal Document Database -
• 
  Has links to many fulltext resources including treaties and statutes, as wells as links to land claims-related issues. (Court Decisions, Statutes/Acts, Treaties)

United States

• United States Government Information - Native American Treaties and Information
• 
  A lengthy bibliography of American government publications, both print and electronic, with brief annotations. Links include American Memory Project sites, fulltext treaties and legislation, census data, government agencies, and court decisions.