Answer to Question #177048 in History for Joe

Question

List and explain the rights and privileges provided by the Indian Act.

Answer 1

Some of the rights and privileges stipulated in the Indian Act include:

1. The right to live on reserves that let Indians who lived and made purchases on reserve land be exempted from paying taxes. Also, in some cases, those who owned businesses on reserve land were exempted from income and business taxes.
2. The right to vote for band council and chief let Indians determine who can participate in band politics and society, and who can access band resources and property.
3. Also, they had the right to develop their own codes, enabling people with non-Indian status to become band members.
4. People with Indian Status also had a right to share band monies meaning that band members had access to band resources.
5. They also have privileges to Health Care Services delivered by the provincial or territorial government. They may be supplemented by Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) that improves native access to health care.
6. Band employee benefits: The program provided funding to support First Nation Member employers thus contributing to pension plans like employer-sponsored pension plans.