Beyond the Indian Act: Restoring Aboriginal Property Rights - Hardcover

Flanagan, Tom; Alcantara, Christopher; Le Dressay, André

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0773536868 ISBN 13: 9780773536869

Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2010

Synopsis

The authors not only investigate the current forms of property rights on reservations but also expose the limitations of each system, showing that customary rights are insecure, certificates of possession cannot be sold outside the First Nation, and leases are temporary. As well, analysis of legislation, court decisions, and economic reports reveals that current land management has led to unnecessary economic losses. The authors propose creation of a First Nations Property Ownership Act that would make it possible for First Nations to take over full ownership of reserve lands from the Crown, arguing that permitting private property on reserves would provide increased economic advantages. An engaging and well-reasoned book, Beyond the Indian Act is a bold argument for a new system that could improve the quality of life for First Nations people in communities across the country.

About this title

About the Author

Tom Flanagan is professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary and author of Harper's Team: Behind the Scenes in the Conservative Rise to Power and First Nations? Second Thoughts. Christopher Alcantara is assistant professor of Political S

Review

"You don't have to travel to Zambia or Peru to see dead capital. All you need to do is visit a reserve in Canada. First Nation people own assets, but not with the same instruments as other Canadians. They're frozen into an Indian Act of the 1870s so they can't easily trade their valuable resources. Beyond the Indian Act provides strategies to correct this so First Nation people can generate wealth in a manner that other Canadians take for granted." Hernando de Soto, President, Institute for Liberty and Democracy

"Anyone who is concerned with the welfare of First Nations in Canada will be interested in this book. This coherent and in-depth work covers a wide array of issues and shows that full property rights for aboriginal peoples are long overdue." Moin A. Yahya

?This second edition of the book contains a postscript which reports on the reception given to the authors? proposal for a First Nations Property Act. Responses to a promotional tour by the authors in spring 2010 were, they report, predominantly favourabl

About this edition

• Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0773536868
• ISBN 13: 9780773536869
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224