Survey To Assess Discrimination and Status Card Use
UBCIC wants to know how Indigenous people in BC are being treated when using their status card for identification or tax exemption purposes. Findings from this survey will be shared in a public report, with the goal of raising the profile of this issue and encouraging anti-racist action in the province related to status card use.
All survey responses are anonymous and will be hosted in a secure environment. The survey takes about 8 minutes to complete.
Take the Survey
FAQ’s
Who can fill in the survey?
If you have a status card and are resident in BC, you are eligible to fill in the survey.
How long will it take?
The survey takes about 8 minutes to complete.
When does the survey close?
The survey closes on July 11th, 2022
What happens with my information?
The data and information collected by this survey will be held securely by the project team, with ongoing storage at UBCIC. Your identity will remain confidential, meaning that identifying details you may share with us about yourself will never be shared. Data collected through this survey will be reported in an aggregated, anonymous format so there will be no way to link your responses to your identity. Data analysis will be conducted by project team members only, and individual survey responses will not be shared with any non-project personnel.
How can I help spread the word?
Please complete the survey and encourage your relatives to do the same.
Share UBCIC’s survey advertisements and promotions on your Nation’s Facebook page
Email us for social media assets ([email protected]) or grab them from the UBCIC Facebook page
How did this survey come about?
On December 20, 2019, Maxwell Johnson and his niece Tori-Anne, members of the Heiltsuk Nation, were handcuffed and arrested outside of the Bank of Montreal (Burrard St. location) after a BMO staff member called 911, suspecting the pair of presenting fraudulent status cards as identification to open a bank account.
Johnson launched legal action against BMO, filed a complaint against BMO and the Vancouver Police Department with the BC Human Rights Tribunal, and a complaint against the Vancouver Police Department with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner. Mr. Johnson asked UBCIC for help in this process and this study is one way in which the UBCIC is providing support.
Why a survey?
There is an absence of consolidated research, data, and information related to the experience of racism and discrimination and status card use. UBCIC has commissioned a Study to gather Indigenous Peoples’ experiences. The Study will be released publicly by UBCIC to support greater visibility into this issue.
Showing 6 reactions
Thx
You dont just get copies and use as a status…thats just insane! If your married into it then that’s an exception. But if your true 100% native then your born into status. When your status you have rights. Lets just assume that I want copies of your Drivers License and credit cards. Would you just make copies and give it to me? So I can use it for my personal use?
Who ever is making copies for others who are non member will be prosecuted. Its against the law. All status must have ancestor blood(quantum blood). You can be status but have no rights also. Meaning you cant use Status. Hope this helps
I hope I can help answer your question.
The reason for people who may not have indigenous blood is actually simple, and sad. When a woman would marry a white man, they would actually have to give up their Indian Status. It wasn’t until 1985 that they were given the opportunity to prove they were, in fact, indigenous. They would have to prove it through their blood line. That is the same for indigenous folks who lost their status because the government would force them to enfranchise because they fought in both world wars, or forced en-mass as an entire band (see Michel Band)
Meanwhile, if an indigenous male where to marry a white woman, she would gain Indian status. Which means, even if they divorced, she would be able to keep her status. Her children would be able to apply and their children too. I believe it may go for three generations, but I can’t recall at this moment. So, it’s not really about percentage, it could be as simple as marriage.
Hope that helps.
Over the years I have come across a few people who bragged about having Status Cards and I know they have zero native blood in them, because they told me so. Can one marry into obtaining a status card? Can they ‘know someone’ who can get one or make a copy of one for a friend? In other words, how easy are the cards able to be copied or used fraudulently?
This is NOT in any way meant to come across as racist. These are simply questions I am sure many people must wonder about but might be afraid to ask.