LibGuides: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Research: Government & Archival Information

Government

Government documents are a source of historical and statistical data. It is important to recognize tha these documents tell part of a story and should be used in conjunction with other source.

Government departments and programs

Indigenous Services Canada
Indigenous Services Canada is responsible for policies relating to Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
This department creates policies relating to statutes, agreements and legal decisions. They also deliver programs in partnership with Indigenous communities.
Federal Departments of Indigenous and Northern Affairs
This article from the Canadian Encyclopedia gives an overview of current and historical federal departments that addressed Indigenous and northern affairs.

Canadian Research Index
Indexes Canadian federal, provincial and municipal government publications; including policy papers and annual reports. Most publications, excluding theses, are available on microfiche at Scott Library.
Parliament of Canada Publications Search
This search engine will allow you to query mentions of policy issues relevant to First Nations in Canadian parliamentary documents.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
First Nations in Canada
First Nations in Canada is an educational resource designed for use by young Canadians; high school educators and students; Aboriginal communities; and anyone interested in First Nations history.
First Nation Profiles / Profils des Premières Nations
The First Nation Profiles is a collection of information that describes individual First Nation communities across Canada. The profiles include general information on a First Nation along with more detailed information about its reserve(s), governance, federal funding, geography, registered population statistics and various Census statistics (taken from website).
Indigenous Peoples Statistics
Library and Archives Canada
Indigenous documentary heritage initiatives.
Consolidated Native Law Statutes, Regulations and Treaties
Treaties (Lakehead University)

Archival material related to Indigenous peoples and communities can be found throughout several holdings held by the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections. This blog post highlights a selection of fonds that contain a significant portion of records with content related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

When conducting archival research, keep in mind that records are grouped in fonds by creator, not by subject. Records about Indigenous peoples may be located in the fonds of academic researchers, religious institutions, and government holdings.

See archive's Guide to finding archival institutions and Guide to reading a finding aid for more information.

Aboriginal Archives Guide by Association of Canadian Archivists Special Interest Section on Aboriginal Archives

Indigenous Archives and Archival Projects

Indigitization — Toolkit for the Digitization of First Nations Knowledge
Indigitization is a B.C. based collaborative initiative between Indigenous communities and organizations, the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, the Museum of Anthropology, Northern BC Archives (UNBC), and the School for Library, Archival and Information Studies, to facilitate capacity building in Indigenous information management.
Digital Archives Database Project.
View thousands of Métis historical documents, genealogical information, Hudson's Bay Company records, Church missionary records, and personal Métis accounts.
Library and Archives Canada Heritage Action Plan
Indigenous Materials at the American Philosophical Society
This guide provides broad coverage of the Native American and Indigenous archival collections from 1553 to 2017 at the Library of the American Philosophical Society.
Penal Press: Aboriginal Prisoners
The penal press is a primary source open-access archive written and produced by prisoners, it provides insight into how convicts viewed the penal justice apparatus, its policies and its practices, with a focus on Canadian publications. Indigenous related content tagged.