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The Conversation
The Conversation
Politics
Amy Swiffen, Associate Professor of Sociology, Concordia University

How the Indian Act's 'blackout period' denied Indigenous Peoples their legal rights

A teepee that was set up to support calls for changes to the Indian Act, is seen on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Aug. 19, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Recent years have seen Indigenous land rights protests and assertions of sovereignty across Canada. In the wake of these events, many have been learning about and coming to terms with Canada’s treatment of Indigenous Peoples.

However, many remain unaware of a significantly damaging period in Canada’s history. The “blackout” period in Aboriginal law in Canada was a time when the Canadian government in effect banned lawyers from representing Indigenous peoples.

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