
First Nations? Second Thoughts
Tom Flanagan(Author)
McGill-Queen's University Press
3rd Edition
Published on 17. October 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
302 pages
978-0-7735-5853-3 (ISBN)
Description
Over the last thirty years Canadian policy on aboriginal issues has come to be dominated by an ideology that sees aboriginal peoples as "nations" entitled to specific rights. Indians and Inuit now enjoy legal privileges that include the inherent right to self-government, collective property rights, immunity from taxation, hunting and fishing rights without legal limits, and free housing, education, and medical care. Underpinning these privileges is what Tom Flanagan describes as "aboriginal orthodoxy" - the belief that prior residence in North America is an entitlement to special treatment. Flanagan shows that this orthodoxy enriches a small elite of activists, politicians, administrators, and well-connected entrepreneurs, while bringing further misery to the very people it is supposed to help. Controversial and thought-provoking, First Nations? Second Thoughts dissects the prevailing ideology that determines public policy towards Canada's aboriginal peoples. Flanagan analyzes the developments of the last ten years, showing how a conflict of visions has led to a stalemate in aboriginal policy-making. He concludes that aboriginal success will be achieved not as the result of public policy changes in government but through the actions of the people themselves.
Reviews / Votes
"An important and courageous work." National Post "Flanagan's arguments are, without question, the most thoughtful and comprehensive of the critiques of aboriginal policy that have been offered so far." Alan Cairns, University of British ColumbiaMore details
Edition
Third edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Montreal
Canada
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
New edition
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 226 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
458 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7735-5853-3 (9780773558533)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
10/2019
3rd Edition
De Gruyter
€34.49
Available for download

E-Book
10/2019
1st Edition
McGill-Queen's University Press
€34.49
Available for download
Previous edition

Book
09/2008
McGill-Queen's University Press
€52.23
Withdrawn from sale
Person
Tom Flanagan is professor emeritus of political science, University of Calgary, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.