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John was interviewed on March 16, 1978 in Regina, Saskatchewan. John Emms was an Indian Agent for many years until the late fifties when, due to frustration and disagreement with Indian Affairs Department policies regarding First Nations, he quit. Subsequently, he became employed by the CCF/NDP government in Saskatchewan as their first "community development" worker and informal liaison with the First Nations population of the province. He also acted as adviser to the government on First Nations policy when the province was pushing for provincial jurisdiction over Indian affairs. In the fall of 1964, he was fired by the newly elected Liberal government of Ross Thatcher just as that government was establishing its new Indian-Métis Branch. In this interview, Emms talks about the history and practices of the Indian Affairs Department, the community development and Aboriginal policies of the Lloyd (NDP) government up to its defeat in 1964 and about the Liberals’ policies towards First Nations and Métis after the spring of 1964. |
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