I agree with many historians who don’t like to describe historical people as victims but instead prefer to picture them as active “agents” who had at least some power to make decisions about their own lives and their future. In this chapter we clearly see the Aboriginal people of Canada being active “agents” in the early years of contact as they chose to enter the fur trade for their own purposes and also to form some military alliances with the Europeans. We also see Aboriginal leaders and others becoming active “agents” since the late 1960’s. However, for the most part, in the period between the 1860’s and the 1960’s, Canada’s Aboriginal people were strongly discouraged from being active “agents” who had much responsibility for their own lives and destinies. Describe specifically several of the more important ways in which the Canadian government from 1867 onwards effectively removed much of the abilities from Aboriginals to make and act on decisions for themselves and their people. 

2) What question(s) came to your mind as you read about the topic 

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1 The period from 1860 onwards had a significant change in the ability of Aboriginals to make and act on decisions for themselves and their people In ... View the full answer