Beading Red: The Red Paper Through Generations

Over 50 years since ‘The Red Paper’, a family and community reflect on resistance and wahkohtowin through beadwork.

In June 1970 the Indian Chiefs of Alberta – with leadership from the Indian Association of Alberta’s President, Harold Cardinal, presented Citizens Plus to the Right Honourable P.E. Trudeau, Prime Minister, and to the Government of Canada. Citizens Plus, also known as 'The Red Paper,' delivered a powerful rejection of, and counter-proposal to Canada’s (Department of Indian Affairs) 1969 ‘Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian Policy’, a white paper which would have fundamentally changed the relationship between Canada and First Nations.

Beading Red: The Red Paper Through Generations:
A 15-minute documentary film created to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of ‘The Red Paper’ presentation. Putting new light on this time-period, the film also highlights the important role of Indigenous women and talks about the importance of treaty and familial relationships through wahkohtowin embedded in Indigenous beadwork. The legacy of ‘The Red Paper’ can be seen in the constitutional affirmation of Aboriginal and treaty rights and in the care our ancestors continue to have for future generations.

A list of recommended resources has been compiled to complement the film by fostering a deeper understanding and knowledge of the context of ‘The Red Paper’ and its legacy.

Presented by the Wahkohtowin Law & Governance Lodge (WLGL).

Interviews with:
Sarah Nickel, Historian
Jerome Slavik, Lawyer
Tara Kappo, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation
Lewis Cardinal, Sucker Creek Cree Nation

Produced, Directed, and Edited: Conor McNally

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