Listed below are terms defined by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/):
Aboriginal peoples are the descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. The Canadian Constitution recognizes that there are three groups of Aboriginal people – Indians, Métis and Inuit. These are three separate peoples with unique heritages, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.
First Nation is a term that came into common usage in the 1970s to replace the word ‘Indian,’ which some people found offensive. Although the term First Nation is widely used, no legal definition of it exists. The term ‘First Nations peoples’ can refers to both Status and non-Status Indian peoples in Canada. Some Indian peoples have also adopted the term ‘First nation’ to replace the word ‘band’ in the name of their community.
* Like the term “Indian”, “First Nation” is becoming replaced by the reference of “Indigenous.” This form represents the entirety of all Indigenous peoples world wide who have faced European colonial powers.
Aboriginal rights are rights that some Aboriginal peoples of Canada hold as a result of their ancestors’ longstanding use and occupancy of the land. The rights of certain Aboriginal people to hunt, trap and fish on ancestral lands are examples of Aboriginal rights. Aboriginal rights vary from group to group depending on the customs, practices and traditions that have formed part of their distinctive cultures.
Reserve is an area of land, the legal title to which is held by the Crown, set apart for the use and benefit of an Indian Band.
Treaty First Nation is a First Nation that signed a treaty with the Crown.
*Listed below are some terms specifically related to land claim and self-government negotiations:
Land Claims is a general term used to describe claims involving land. In 1973, the federal government recognized two broad classes of claims – comprehensive and specific.Comprehensive claims are based on the recognition that there are continuing Aboriginal rights to lands and natural resources. These kinds of claims come up in those parts of Canada where Aboriginal title has not been previously dealt with by treaty and other legal means. These claims are called ‘comprehensive’ because of their wide scope. They include such things and land title, fishing and trapping rights, and financial compensation.
Specific Claims deal with the past grievances of First Nations. These grievances relate to Canada’s obligations under historic treaties or the way it managed First Nation funds or assets. For example, a specific claim could involve the failure to provide enough reserve land as promised in a historic treaty or the improper handling of First Nation money by the Crown.
Modern treaties – comprehensive claims
Comprehensive land claim settlements deal with areas of Canada where Aboriginal people’s claims to Aboriginal rights have not been addressed by treaties, or other legal means. The first of these modern-day treaties was the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, signed in 1975. To date, the federal government has settled 24 self-government and comprehensive land claim areas (two are stand-alone self-government) with Aboriginal people in Canada.
Self-Government
Self-government agreements are one means of building sound governance and institutional capacity that allow Aboriginal communities to contribute to, and participate in, the decisions that affect their lives and carry out effective relationships with other governments. It is generally a form of government designed, established and administered by Aboriginal peoples under the Canadian Constitution through a process of negotiations and, where applicable, the provincial or territorial government. They also provide greater certainty over rights to natural resources, contributing to a more positive investment climate and creating greater potential for economic development, jobs and growth.
Southwestern Ontario Community-Based & Consultation Archaeology Project 