Enfranchisement of any First Nation admitted to university (1880 amendment)
99.(1) Any Indian who may be admitted to the degree of Doctor of Medicine, or to
any other degree by any University of Learning, or who may be admitted in any
Province of the Dominion to practise law either as an Advocate or as a Barrister
or Counsellor, or Solicitor or Attorney or to be a Notary Public, or who may enter
Holy Orders, or who may be licensed by any denomination of Christians as a
Minister of the Gospel, may upon petition to the Superintendent-General, ipso
facto become and be enfranchised under the provisions of this Act; and the
Superintendent-General may give him a suitable allotment of land from the lands
belonging to the band of which he is a member. [emphasis added]
The ultimate purpose of enfranchisement (loss of status rights) was to encourage
assimilation/civilization and to reduce the number of *Indians the federal government
was financially responsible for. If you gave up your status you gave up associated rights and benefits.
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