Indian Register
The Indian Register is the official record of people registered under the Indian Act in Canada, called status Indians or registered Indians. People registered under the Indian Act have rights and benefits that are not granted to other First Nations people, Inuit, or Métis, the chief benefits of which include the granting of reserves and of rights associated with them, an extended hunting season, easier access to firearms, an exemption from federal and provincial taxes on reserve, and more freedom in the management of gaming and tobacco franchises via less government interference and taxes.
History
In 1851 the colonial governments of British North America began to keep records of Indians and bands entitled to benefits under treaty. For 100 years, individual Indian agents made lists of members who belonged to each band. In 1951, the current Indian Register was established by amendment of the Indian Act, and the many band lists were combined into one.In 1985, the Indian Act was amended again with the goal of restoring First Nations status to people who had lost it through discriminatory provisions of the act, and to their children. Over 100,000 people who had lost their status in this way were added to the register.
Registration under the ''Indian Act'' ("Indian status")
The list is maintained by Indigenous Services Canada. Sole authority for determining who will be registered is held by the Indian Registrar.Revocation of status
The discriminatory reasons for revoking status were:- marrying a man who was not registered under the Indian Act
- enfranchisement
- having a mother and paternal grandmother who were not registered under the Indian Act
- being born out of wedlock of a mother who was registered under the Indian Act and a father who was not.
Documentary proof of Indian status