From Treaty Peoples to Treaty Nation: A Road Map for All Canadians

by Greg Poelzer, Kenneth S. Coates

Canada is a country founded on relationships and agreements between Indigenous people and newcomers. Although recent court cases have strengthened Aboriginal rights, the cooperative spirit of the treaties is being lost as Canadians engage in endless arguments about First Nations “issues.” Greg Poelzer and Ken Coates breathe new life into these debates by looking at approaches that have failed and succeeded in the past and offering all Canadians – from policy makers to concerned citizens – realistic steps forward. The road ahead is clear: if all Canadians take up their responsibilities as treaty peoples, Canada will become a leader among treaty nations

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, Canada

366 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2015

Reviews

[Zack · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you want to learn about Indigenous thought from a colonial lens, reading this book is for you. From homogenizing Indigenous peoples as "Canadians" to misrepresenting the work of Taiaiake Alfred, this book was clearly written by two white men who do not understand the importance of prioritizing Indigenous voices when envisioning Indigenous futures.

[Leanne]

What I liked about this book:
-the broad range of perspectives and ideas covered, which helps to illustrate how complex the issues are
-the emphasis on what has been successful and the desire to focus on a more promising future

What I didn't like:
-ultimately this still very much felt like a book from a capitalist perspective- as in, if Indigenous people are to be "successful" it needs to be by following a western economic model. It's a shame because the authors seem to show interest in divergent ways of thinking but ultimately resort to "what works for the urban middle class should work everywhere". I don't love that and I especially dislike that it pays no attention to environmental sustainability. I don't think any book that fails to consider caring for our land can be relevant.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important book with enough heart to move, and enough sarcasm to make some angry.

[Cameron McLachlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My actual rating is 3.5 to 4 stars.

[Chris Hay]

Skim read for general interest with: The Comeback (Saul). This one was a bit more technical in some parts (harder to read). The concluding part notes that Canadians tend to see more stories of tragedy than success about Indigenous people and this can shape our views in a negative, skewed way. I initially picked this up thinking it would have Indigenous map content (there are no actual maps). It's a good book but I'm not rating it because I read so little.