» What does the expression "ancestral rights" mean?
» The Constituional Act of 1982
» The Royal Proclamation of 1763
» Supreme Court Jugement
» The Powley Act
» Metis

Ancestral Rights

What does the expression "ancestral rights" mean?

Although it may be difficult to generalize the definition of ancestral rights, we can claim that the majority of native people claim that their rights are inherent and collective and are derived from the ancestral occupation of land which is now Canada and the previous social order before the Europeans arrived. It is important to note that these rights are claimed by the indian, inuit and metis peoples of Canada.

Le Petit Larousse 2000 dictionary defines the word “right” in these terms : Right – “what is just”. The group of principles that govern the relationship of men between themselves, and which serve as legal rules.

According to Delia Opekokew, Cree lawyer, the term “ancestral right” includes the following:

[…] the ownership of land that we have traditionally occupied and used and the control and the ownership of ressources that this land contains.

Water, minerals, wood, wildlife and fisheries. In addition, such a right “recognizes the sovereignty of the native government over our people, our land and our ressources”.

Aren’t these terms of “right” and “legal rules”, european ideas that have been imposed upon us?

Our ancestors did not require rights or permissions to survive. Hunting, trapping, fishing and harvesting, were all part of a life cycle that existed for thousands of years and that each native nation of the continent respected.

It was only after the arrival of the Europeans and the systematic destruction of our ancestral hunting and trapping land as well as the lakes and rivers that the native people of Canada began asserting THEIR rights. Their right to protect that which was passed on by their ancestors, the right to survive!

Home | About us | Services | Membership | Ancestral Rights | Powley | Press Releases and Articles | Partners | Billboard