Canadian Association in Support of Native Peoples

The Canadian Association in Support of Native Peoples was an association of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, working in support of Indigenous peoples. It was originally established in 1957 under the name of the National Commission on the Indian Canadian, as a non-native organization created to study the "Indian problem." The first chairman of the Commission was Mrs. W.H. Clark. By February 1958, Indigenous people were invited to join in the work of the Commission. In 1960, the Indian-Eskimo Association (IEA) was incorporated, with Mrs. Clark as the first president. The IEA had several functions, including encouraging Indigenous leaders to form organizations, fund-raising, organizing workshops to discuss native housing, community and economic development, and providing advice and support in legal matters. Provincial and regional divisions were also created to help deal with specific issues. By 1968, several national and provincial Indigenous organizations had been organized and in September 1968, leaders of these organizations met with representatives of the IEA to discuss the future role of the Association. It was agreed that these Indigenous organizations still needed the IEA's support, but they should begin to deal directly with governments, without the IEA acting as the middleman. It was clear that the future of the IEA was to provide only support and advice to the developing Indigenous-led organizations. In 1972, many of the recommendations made in 1968 had come into effect. The name was changed to the Canadian Association in Support of Native Peoples to more accurately reflect the new functions of the Association. At this time, regional offices of the Association were closed, and the head office moved from Toronto to Ottawa. The Association dissolved in 2015.