Down to the Wire on the Indian Act

In the face of a decision by the B.C. Court of Appeal striking down the definition of who is aboriginal, the Harper government is apparently moving toward revamping the Indian Act. The act, originally passed in 1876, was last amended twenty-five years ago.

Given the tragic conditions under which aboriginal peoples live in this country, it is surely time for more than tinkering. Yet as in so many other matters, this government seems to have neither the wit nor the inclination to develop truly innovative policy. It appears obvious that the government's intent is to include as few participants as possible in the process and to focus on the potential costs of expanding the definition of aboriginal as the courts have demanded.