Glossary

A system used from the 1880s to the 1940s that required First Nations people to obtain a pass from an Indian Agent to leave their reserve. Though never actually law, it was enforced and restricted economic participation for generations. Understanding this history helps explain why financial systems were not built to serve Indigenous people.

Related terms

• Indian Act

  Federal legislation that governs many aspects of First Nations life in Canada, including band governance, reserve lands, and tax exemptions. Originally a tool of control, it still defines key rights like Section 87 tax exemptions and Section 89 property protections that affect your finances directly.