21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act

Softcover - New 

Based on a viral article, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act is the essential guide to understanding the legal document and its repercussion on generations of Indigenous Peoples, written by a leading cultural sensitivity trainer.

Since its creation in 1876, the Indian Act has shaped, controlled, and constrained the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Peoples, and is at the root of many enduring stereotypes. Bob Joseph's book comes at a key time in the reconciliation process, when awareness from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities is at a crescendo. Joseph explains how Indigenous Peoples can step out from under the Indian Act and return to self-government, self-determination, and self-reliance - and why doing so would result in a better country for every Canadian. He dissects the complex issues around truth and reconciliation, and clearly demonstrates why learning about the Indian Act's cruel, enduring legacy is essential for the country to move toward true reconciliation.

Bob Joseph, founder of Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., has provided training on Indigenous and Aboriginal relations since 1994. As a certified Master Trainer, Joseph has assisted both individuals and organizations in building Indigenous or Aboriginal relations. His clients include all levels of government, Fortune 500 companies, corporate enterprises, and Indigenous peoples in Canada, U.S., Central 3 and South America, and in the South Pacific. In 2006, Joseph co-facilitated a worldwide Indigenous Peoples' round table in Switzerland, which included participants from across the world. Joseph has also worked in cultural relations and corporate training for many years, and taught at Royal Roads University as an associate professor. Bob Joseph is an Indigenous person, or more specifically a status Indian, and is a member of the Gwawaenuk Nation. The author comes from a proud potlatch family and is an initiated member of the Hamatsa Society. As the son of a hereditary chief, he will one day become a hereditary chief.