Gradual Civilization Act (1857)

In 1857 the Province of Canada passed the Gradual Civilization Act, which extended limited enfranchisement to Indigenous men, as well as encouraging the assimilation of Indigenous people into the dominant European settler society. In 1858 a commission of inquiry noted with surprise that efforts to “civilize” Indigenous people were still piece-meal despite almost 30 years of such a policy. Because they did not respond to attempts at “civilization,” and because of the lack of organization and funding in the Indian Department, conditions for Indigenous people were not good in the late 1850s. The commission urged compassionate and effective treatment for their social ills. Feeling that administrative confusion was still responsible for many of the problems, it recommended the establishment of a centralized Indian Department with its own permanent head.