Legal Information for Indigenous People: National Edition

This is the wikibook version of an original booklet by the Bella Coola Legal Advocacy Program. It provides a national perspective on similar topics covered in the earlier, British Columbia-specific booklet Legal Information for Indigenous People.

Cover of Legal Information for Indigenous People: National Edition

Legal Information for Indigenous People: National Edition provides basic & accessible legal information for Indigenous people across the continent who are facing legal issues discussed in the chapters below, including Indigenous rights & protections, civil rights, justice resources, children & families, prisons, crossing the border, how the Indian Act impacts wills & estates, income security, class actions, and more. It explains how the laws in Canada can vary for people based on their Indigeneity.

Contents

• Acknowledgements and Foreword
• Introduction
• Rights and Protections
  • Constitutional Rights · Harvesting Rights · Department of Fisheries & Conservation Officer Service · Human Rights · Freedom of Information
• Know Your Civil Rights
  • Government Authorities · Police Encounters · Police Custody and Arrests · Youth Rights · RCMP Complaints · Criminal Records & Pardons
• Indigenous Justice Resources
  • Restorative Justice · Indigenous Court Workers · Indigenous Social History
• Children and Families
  • Child Protection Law · Child Protection Resources · Jordan’s Principle · Family Homes on Reserve
• Prisons
  • CSC and your Rights · Indigenous-Specific Options · Parole · Indigenous Women · Human Rights · Trans Rights · Discipline · Structured Intervention Units · Administrative Segregation · Visitation and Transfers · Conditional Release · Health Care · Resources · Book Programs
• The Border
  • Crossing The Border · Jay Treaty · Necessary Documents · While in the US
• Indian Act
  • Status · Wills · Estates
• Income Security
  • Employment Insurance · Canada Pension Plan · Retirement pension · Disability benefit · Old Age Security (pension) · Guaranteed Income Supplement · “The Allowance” · Allowance for Survivor · Survivors pension (spouse and children) · Death benefit · Resources · Employment Standards
• Class Actions
  • Sixties Scoop Métis and Non-Status Indian Class Action · "Indian Hospitals" Class Action · "Indian Boarding Homes" Class Action

Resources & Closing Remarks

• Legal Descriptions
• Plain Language Legal Education
• What do these mean? Acronymns & Initialisms
• Afterword

About Bella Coola Legal Advocacy Program

"Serving clients from the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities of the Bella Coola valley, the outer Mid-Coast and the Western Chilcotin, with experience in both on and off reserve legal issues."

© Copyright 2024, Bella Coola Legal Advocacy Program (BCLAP).