Abuses of Power

The Canadian Government Counters and Imposes Elections

In 1923–24, Cayuga Chief Levi General (Deskaheh) of the Six Nations reserve in Ontario spent a whole year in Geneva in hopes of having the case of his small nation heard before the League of Nations and the International Court of Justice. His objective was to have his nation acknowledged as a sovereign entity. At the outset, a dispute arose between the Six Nations and the Canadian government concerning the Indian nation’s independence under Canadian law, in particular the Indian Act, which the federal government was endeavouring to impose.

Although Deskaheh obtained some diplomatic success in Geneva among certain member countries of the League of Nations, the Canadian government’s reply was implacable. Not only were the diplomats of certain countries called to order, but the Canadian government also destabilized the Six Nations by backing a dissident faction in the community. The faction concerned had demanded for a number of years that political chiefs be elected, as set out in the Indian Act, which the federal government was seeking to impose. Thus, on the strength of an investigation concerning the political situation on the Six Nations reserve, entrusted to one Colonel Thompson – an investigation that made reference to a group of agitators advocating separation – the government ordered that elections be held. They took place on October 21, 1924 by Order in Council and under the supervision of Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan and Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers. Holding these elections made it possible to declare Deskaheh incapable of representing his nation and without authority to be its spokesman. For many, this interference by the Canadian government constituted the worst injustice ever perpetrated against this community. It would certainly serve as an example for other communities.

In 1945, the North American Indian Nation Government was established on the initiative of Jules Sioui, a Huron from Lorette. During World War II, Jules Sioui rebelled against the federal government’s goal of subjecting Indians to compulsory enlistment. Indians did not have the right to vote because they were not considered to have the attributes of citizenship. During the war of 1914–1918, the Indians had been expressly excluded from conscription. Nonetheless, a large number of them volunteered. The same scenario occurred in 1939, but Sioui considered that if Indians chose to fight in the armed forces, it should be in full freedom and as the King’s allies, not as His Majesty’s subjects.

The campaign led by Jules Sioui for the independence of his nation led to the proclamation of the North American Indian Nation Government in 1945. An Algonquin from Ontario, Bernard Commanda, was named the Supreme Chief. In the following years, the position was held by two illustrious figures, Francis Pegahmagabow and William Commanda. During the second session of this government, in 1947, the delegates adopted their own Indian Act, a real snub to the Indian Act that the government was preparing to revise.

It is interesting to note that a passage of the Proclamation of the North American Indian Nation Government, published in 1959, referred explicitly to the Charter of the United Nations Organization.

This political movement – bold for the times – even provided for the creation of a national Indian bank. Moreover, every Indian was invited to obtain a registration or membership card. The card, which many members of the First Nations still have today, was signed by the secretary–treasurer of the period, Jules Sioui. The back of the card indicated that the cardholder had certain rights and privileges, including the freedom to circulate between Canada and the United States, exemption from military service, exemption from any tax imposed by a provincial or federal government, the right to hunt and fish on all North American lands, and the right to set up camps at any location whatsoever, taking care not to cause damage to the occupants.

But this affirmation of self-government would have its price. Jules Sioui was arrested and, along with four other members of the organization, accused of [TRANSLATION] “having conspired for the purpose of sowing discontent and hatred among the subjects of His Majesty, the Indians of Canada, by leading them to believe that he had instituted a special status for North American Indians, who no longer need comply with the laws of the land.” Jules Sioui, along with Chief Michel Vachon of Betsiamites, Michel Vachon of Sept-Îles (his homonym), John Chabot of Maniwaki, a Gabriel (last name unknown) of Sturgeon Falls and others, were found guilty of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment . (Sioui c. Le Roy, 1949).

Even though this judgment was quashed on appeal, the government brought the case before the Supreme Court, at which time Jules Sioui began a hunger strike that lasted 72 days. Finally, the government abandoned its proceedings (Tsiewei 1994, 17). This political movement, which still exists today, was particularly active in the 1950s and 1960s. According to William Commanda (personal interview, 2009), the movement had up to 6,000 members back then.