The Importance of Oral and Extrinsic Historical Evidence in Understanding Indian Treaties

  • John F. Leslie

Résumé

Au cours des dernières années, les tribunaux ont appris aux Canadiens l'importance des témoignages oraux et d'autres preuves historiques extrinsèques qui précisent le contexte et apportent un éclairage nouveau sur la signification et l'interprétation des traités indiens. L'auteur commente trois livres qui explorent comment ce genre d'information historique aide tant les peuples autochtones que les non-autochtones à mieux comprendre le Traité no 7 en Alberta, de même que l'importance des six traités indiens de Saskatchewan. L'article porte également sur le rôle des historiens dans les salles d'audience ainsi que sur l'utilisation créatrice de la documentation extrinsèque lors du procès de Donald Marshall Jr. devant la Cour suprême du Canada, alors que les juges ont insufflé une nouvelle vie aux Traités de paix et d'amitié des Maritimes. Selon l'auteur, l'utilisation accrue des témoignages oraux et des preuves extrinsèques par les organismes juridictionnels qui doivent réinterpréter les traités se traduira par un fardeau accru pour les archivistes et les historiens. Cet activisme judiciaire a eu et continuera d'avoir un impact significatif sur la vie politique canadienne.

Biographie de l'auteur-e

John F. Leslie

John F. Leslie, former Manager of the Claims and Historical Research Centre of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, retired from the federal government in 2001. He received his M.A. in Canadian Studies from Carleton University in 1984. His research paper, "Commissions of Inquiry into Indian Affairs in the Canadas, 1828-1858: Evolving a Corporate Memory for the Indian Department," was published in 1985. He received a Ph.D. in Canadian History from Carleton University in 1999. In 2000, he co-authored (with Dr. Kerry Abel) the article, "Native Policy since 1945," which was included in the Chinook Multimedia CD-ROM entitled, "Canada: Confederation to Present". In March 2001, he appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs to testify on the historical origins of the Indian Act. His testimony has been published as "The Indian Act: An Historical Perspective" in the Canadian Parliamentary Review (Volume 25, No. 2 [Summer 2002]). Mr. Leslie, who resides in Ottawa, is a research consultant on Aboriginal rights and land claims.

Publié-e
2002-05-01
Comment citer
Leslie, John F. 2002. « The Importance of Oral and Extrinsic Historical Evidence in Understanding Indian Treaties ». Archivaria 53 (mai), 122-29. https://archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/article/view/12841.
Numéro
Archivaria 53 (Spring 2002)
Rubrique
Review Articles

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