Laurier Government Gives Itself Power to Claim Reserve Land

The federal government of Wilfred Laurier gave itself the power to take reserve land without consent if it was “needed for public purposes.” This land seizure was justified by the unnecessarily large size of some reserves, especially considering the drop in reserve populations. The Superintendent General was also given permission to remove bands from their reserve or any part of it, if it was in the interest of the public or the Indians, and if the reserve adjoins or is situated wholly or partly within an incorporated town or city having a population of not less than eight thousand.