Indigenous peoples -- Canada, First Nations -- Canada, First Nations -- Canada -- Social conditions 

"As we head into a new millennium, Canada's First Nations are empowering themselves to address issues rooted in the past. This collection takes a realistic but hopeful look at some of the difficult social and political issues which still confront First Nation people in 1997. These very current articles represent not only the complex issues, but a diversity of voices from the First Nation community. Drawing on personal experience, the contributors make abstract issues concrete and relevant. This collection includes:

- a chief's account of the challenges of leading a First Nation community
- a First Nation educator's thoughts on the traditional instruction of elders
- the startling demographic trends shaping the future of the First Nation population (the most comprehensive treatment available in one chapter)
- the efforts of First Nation women to break the cycle of family violence and to reclaim their voices
- the effects of oil and gas exploitation on a Cree community
- the issue of self-government and the creation of Nunavut
- coverage of healing and spiritual revival, residential schools, the justice system, and racism

These diverse voices and issues are tied together at the end of the volume in the editor's discussion of the report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (cited throughout the book), a mandate for "rebuilding Aboriginal life in Canada.""--Back cover. 

xvi, 484 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm. 

Contents:
1. Editor's introduction
2. Historical overview and background: Part I
3. Historical overview and background: Part II
4. The socio-demographic picture
5. An overview of First Nations' empowerment and disempowerment: Editor's introduction tp Part 2
6. Disempowerment: "Justice", racism, and public opinion
7. Exploitation of the oil and gas frontier: Impact on Lubicon lake Cree women
8. Environmental geo-politics and the new world order: Cree empowerment, La Grande Baleine, and Hydro-Quebec
9. Urban Indians: Reflections on participation of First Nations individuals in the institutions of the larger society
10. First Nations cultures and communities: Editor's introduction to Part 3
11. Stopping family violence: Aboriginal communities enspirited
12. Leadership in First Nations communities: A chief's perspectives on the colonial millstone
13. Empowerment through First Nation control of education: A Sakaw Cree philosophy of education
14. Self-determination: Editor's introduciton to Part 4
15. Reluctant citizens? First Nations in the Canadian federal state
16. The government of Nunavut (1999): A prospective analysis
17. "Getting on with life"
18. Getting a handle on recommendations of The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
Appendix A: Treaty #7 with the Blackfoot
Appendix B: Selected provisions of the Constitution Act, 1982
Appendix C: The Indian Act: selected provisions and commentary.