Stages of the Political,
Legal and Social Struggle and Activities on the Social Front

Information
compiled by INRS-Culture et Société

1968

Creation of the "Equal Rights for Native Women" association,
headed by Mary Two-Axe Early, Mohawk of Kahnawake.

1971

Janet Corbière-Lavell, a Native woman who had lost her status following
her marriage to a non-Native man brings her case to court. On October 8, a
federal tribunal rules that the Indian Act is discriminatory and that Ms. Corbière-Lavell
could keep her Indian status. In the same year, the Supreme Court of Ontario
rules against the Six Nations Band Council who wanted to expel Yvonne Bedard
and her six children from the reserve because they were non-status. Ten
provincial Indian brotherhoods brought the case to the Supreme Court of Canada
who, in 1973, reversed the earlier court decisions, arguing that the
Constitution (which includes the Indian Act) took precedence over the Canadian
Charter of Human Rights used by the plaintiffs.

Creation of the Native Women's Association of Canada

1973

Creation of the "Indian Rights for Indian Women" association,
the national arm of the "Equal Rights for Native Women

Creation of the Ontario Native Women's Association

1974

Creation of the Quebec Native Women's Association

1975

As part of the International Year of Women, Mary Two-Axe Early travels
to Mexico and presents a brief on the discrimination faced by Native women.

1976

Research undertaken by QNWA with 369 women and 66 men mostly living on
reserves in Quebec demonstrates a 90% dissatisfaction rate with the Indian Act
and its discriminatory clauses. The findings are published in a document
entitled Réveille-toi Femmes Autochtones! Wake-Up Native Women! The document,
in which QNWA recommends that a Native person keep his or her status even if
they marry a non-Native, is sent to the Committee for the Amendment of then
Indian Act and numerous other organizations and womens' organizations across
the country.

1977

QNWA submits a brief underlying the problem of the adoption of native
children into non-Native families to a Parliamentary commission.

For the first time, QNWA opens a position for a coordinator, which
allows them to maintain direct links between the Executive and local groups.

1979

A group of women from Tobique reserve in New Brunswick undertake a
110-mile march from Oka (Kanesatake) to Ottawa to mark the 110 years of
injustice to Native women since the passing of the Indian Act.

1980

QNWA obtains operational funding for the first time from the federal
government (Secretary of State) and the provincial government (SAGMAI).

A QNWA brief on education demonstrates the necessity of transmitting
Native culture and the need to hire Native teachers in schools attended by
natives.

A QNWA brief on "Health Services: A Crucial Problem Among the
Aboriginal Population of Quebec" is sent to the following organizations:
Department of Health and Welfare; Department of Indian Affairs; Department of
Social Services (Quebec); Secretary of State for the Status of Women; Secrétariat
des activités gouvernementales en milieu amérindien et inuit (Québec); Quebec
Women's Federation; Consultation Committee on the Status of Women; Council on
the Status of Women; the Movement to Fight Racism. The brief outlines the
absence of doctors on reserves and their lack of availability; the lack of
communication between doctors and their patients; the medical experiments and
forced sterilization that were done on Natives; the long distance to hospitals;
the discrimination on the part of medical personnel towards the Native
clientele.

1981

Following a request from Sandra Lovelace, a non-status Indian, the
United Nations Human Rights Commission of declares that article 12(l) B of the
Indian Act discriminates against women.

1982

Constitution recognizes the "inherent" Aboriginal rights and
treaty rights.

QNWA presents to the sub-committee of Indian Affairs a new document on
the discrimination faced by Native women. This document is discussed in the
House of Commons.

Adoption of the Canadian Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms that
guarantees equality between men and women. It i s not applied until 1985.

The Quebec government meets with First Nations and Inuit representatives
in the province, including the Quebec Native Women's Association, in order to
initiate discussions on Native rights and the Constitution.

1983

The first Premiers' conference on Native rights ends in a disagreement
on the nature of such rights. There is, however, agreement that certain rights
are enshrined in the Constitution, and that three more conferences on the issue
were to be held before 1987. QNWA is not able to obtain a seat at this
conference.

1984

Brief presented to the Common Front for Aboriginal Women and Economic
Development.

Second Premiers' conference on Native rights. Participants touch on, but
never reach, an agreement on based on self- government and gender equality.
QNWA and the Native Women's Association of Canada participated as observers
only.

First amendment to the Canadian constitution: treaty rights including
those issued from territorial claims agreements and rights likely to be granted
as well as acquired rights, are guaranteed regardless of gender equality.

Brief presented to the Common Front for Aboriginal Women and economic
development.

1985

Third Premiers' Conference on the Constitution and Native rights. The
conference deals mainly with the idea of inherent rights and
self-determination.

Adoption of Bill C-31, modifying the Indian Act, which allows Native
women who married non-Natives to regain their status.

Creation of Defence Fund for women victims of discrimination.

1987

Launch of the Awareness Campaign "Violence is Tearing Us Apart
—Let's Get Together."

Fourth Premiers' conference on Aboriginal rights. The parties fail to
agree on which rights should be enshrined in the Constitution.

Reunited for the Aboriginal Summit, the Assembly of First Nations
chiefs, the Native Council of Canada, the Inuit Committee on National Affairs
and the Nation Gathering of Métis voice their opposition to the Meech Lake
Accord. The question of their right to self-determination still not resolved,
the fear that it will be restricted by the agreement and demand to be present
at the Annual Constitutional conferences proposed by the Agreement.

Ratification of the Meech Lake Accord, which brings Quebec under the
Constitution. All First Nations of the country express their fear that the
provinces will have more powers. They demand, as does Quebec, status as a
distinct society and reaffirm their belonging to the founding peoples of
Canadian society.

1988

Presentation of a brief to audiences on Aboriginal daycare services.

1989

Presentation by Quebec Native Women at the National Aboriginal Inquiry
on the Impacts of Bill C-31.

1990

Publication of a bilingual newsletter (French and English)
"Together Against Violence. Anishnabé-Kwe" that identifies the
initiatives and means put in place to fight family violence in Quebec and in
the rest of Canada. Due to lack of adequate financial resources, publication of
the newsletter ceases after its third issue.

QNWA announces its Proposal for an Approach that Includes Intervention
in the Area of Family Violence.

Creation of a working committee on violence.

1991

Participation of Quebec Native Women in the "Measure 24"
group, a multidisciplinary group established as part of a three- year plan of
the Quebec Department of Health and Social Services on violence in the Native
milieu. Essentially, the work of this group consists of making local authorities
aware of the need to reduce the isolation of the front-line community workers.

1992

Presentation of a brief to the First Nations Circle on the Constitution.
Quebec Native Women's Association supports self- government, but insists that a
guarantee of rights and freedoms for all Aboriginal citizens must be affirmed
prior to self- government.

The QNWA Constitution and Rules are restructured.

Quebec Native Women is recognized by the provincial section of the
Assembly of First Nations. The Association sits and participates in the
discussions, but does not have the right to vote.

Michèle Rouleau, departing president of QNWA, receives the prix Droits
et Libertés, for her contribution to the promotion of Aboriginal women's
rights.

1993

Publication of a study ordered by Quebec Native Women: An Assessment of
Violence and Mental Health Among the Aboriginal Population of Quebec.

QNWA presents the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples a brief
entitled: "Taking Our Rightful Place", which include these major
recommendations: provide a priority to the family violence file; favour the
creation of daycare centres in Aboriginal communities; examine the possibility
of establishing multi-service centres for Aboriginal women living in urban
centres; define mechanisms that ensure Aboriginal women a participation in the
constitutional debate; ensure equal financing to Aboriginal women's
organizations in comparison to other Aboriginal organizations.

First meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on conjugal violence. The
committee includes five Aboriginal men.

Michèle
Rouleau, departing president of QNWA, receives the Chevalier de I'Ordre
national du Québec.

1994

Brief presented to the Permanent Committee for Human Resources
Development on Social Security Reform.

1995

Launch in Montreal of a brochure on violence: Dépasser la
violence/Beyond Violence.

First conference on violence: Voici la pointe du jour / This is Dawn,
held n Montreal.

Launch in Montreal of a brochure on violence: Dépasser la violence /
Beyond Violence.

1996

Publication of the brochure entitled Nos familles. Un monde à découvrir / Our
Families. A World to Discover. This brochure was produced as part of the work of
the Quebec Working group on the family.

1997

Quebec Native Women organizes a three-day conference on economic
development.

1998

Second conference on violence held in Montreal.

Monique Sioui, former president of Quebec Native Women, receives the
Prix Droits et Libertés.

1999

Twenty-fifth anniversary of Quebec Native Women.

2000

Awareness tour as part of the Kassewe project: For a common vision of
solidarity in the First Nations communities of Quebec.

2004

QNWA celebrates its 30th anniversary.

2005

Report entitled « Mémoire sur l’égalité : point de vue des femmes autochtones » presented to the Commission of Social Affairs as part of the review process of the Council of Status of Women. On line (in French) : http://www.bibliotheque.assnat.qc.ca/01/mono/2005/02/799131.pdf

Conference “Equality Itineraries” as part of the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the Association.


Participation to the World March of Women in Quebec.

2006

Participation to the working table leading to the Socio-Economic Forum for First Nations held at Mashteuiatsh on October 25 to 27 : QNW puts forward aboriginal women’s needs in relation to family and sexual violence and asks for more support from both federal and provincial governments.

2007

QNW organizes the Fifth Continental Meeting of Indigenous Women of the Americas in Kahnawake with the Continental Network of Indigenous Women (ENLACE).

QNW participates at both national and provincial campaigns demanding Canada to endorse the UN Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples : QNW organizes a demonstration in the streets of Montreal for the first time in September 2007.

2008

Ellen Gabriel is awarded a special recognition on March 8 by the Québec bar for her remarkable contribution to women’s and family rights through a non-profit organization.

Launch of the Campaign « Together against family violence! » in Wendake in May: a purple electrostatic can now be seen in every window of every community throughout Quebec.

2009

QNW obtains the United Nations ECOSOC observatory status for non-governmental organizations.
Quebec Native Women celebrates its 35-year struggle for aboriginal women’s rights.

2010

Adoption of Bill C-3 following Sharon McIvor’s victory before the Court of Appeal of British Colombia. The Bill entitles Bill C-31 women’s grand-children to gain their Indian status. QNW supported Sharon McIvor fight since the beginning in 1989 and lobbied to have a Bill C-3 as fair as possible to indigenous women and their descendants.

Launch of the Wasaiya project: a training of trainers on indigenous peoples’ rights for Quebec aboriginal communities in partnership with the University of Quebec in Montreal.

QNW participates in the negotiations for the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing in Montreal, Cali (Colombia) and Nagoya (Japan): the international instrument aims at, inter alia, protecting indigenous traditional knowledge and biodiversity on their territories as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

First meeting of Inuit and First Nations Directors of Women’s Shelters in Kuujuaq.

Participation to the World March of Women in Rimouski: As one of their demands, the Quebec Coalition demanded the ratification and the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

2011

Launch of the Campaign My sexuality it's about respect: break the silence!