Editing Assembly of First Nations (section)

===National Indian Brotherhood===
The National Indian Brotherhood (NIB) was a national political body made up of the leadership of the various provincial and territorial organizations (PTOs); it lobbied for changes to federal and provincial policies to support Indigenous rights and sovereignty.<ref name="Pound 2005">{{cite book |title='Fitzhenry and Whiteside Book of Canadian Facts and Dates' |last=Pound |first=Richard W. |publisher=Fitzhenry and Whiteside |year=2005}}</ref>

The following year, the NIB launched its first major campaign, which opposed the assimilationist proposals of the [[1969 White Paper]]. In that, the [[Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (Canada)|Minister of Indian Affairs]], [[Jean Chrétien]], had proposed abolition of the ''[[Indian Act]]'', rejection of [[Aboriginal land claims]], and assimilation of First Nations people into the Canadian population, with the status of other ethnic minorities, who were largely descendants of immigrants, rather than as a distinct group reflecting Indigenous peoples history in North America.

Supported by a churches, labour, and other citizen groups, the NIB mounted massive opposition to the government plan. On June 3, 1970, the NIB presented the response by [[Harold Cardinal]] and the Indian Chiefs of Alberta (entitled "Citizens Plus" but commonly known as "[[The Red Paper]]") to Prime Minister [[Pierre Trudeau]] and ministers of his Cabinet. Startled by the strong opposition to the White Paper, the Prime Minister told the delegation that the White Paper recommendations would not be imposed against their will.

In 1972, the NIB submitted their policy paper ''Indian Control of Indian Education'' to the federal government, which generally accepted this proposal to devolve control of Indigenous education to the bands and reserves. The NIB gained national recognition on the issue of Indigenous education in Canada. Their work contributed to the government's ending the [[Canadian Residential School System]], which had been long opposed by Indigenous people. It was also a first step in the push for Indigenous self-governance.<ref name="afnstory"/><ref name="fnedu">[http://www.canadiancontent.ca/issues/0499firsted.html A Brief History of the Education of First Nations Children: What Should They Learn and How Should They Learn it?], Iram Khan</ref>

In 1973, the [[Calder v. British Columbia (Attorney General)|Calder case]] decision was issued.<!-- Needs explanation of significance --><ref name="ndp-ear">{{cite journal|url=https://dx.doi.org/10.3138%2Fjcs.34.1.52  |title=With an ear to the ground: The CCF/NDP and aboriginal policy in Canada, 1926–1993| journal=Journal of Canadian Studies| date= Spring 1999| last1=Tester |first1= Frank James |last2= McNicoll |first2=Paule |last3=Forsyth| first3=Jessie|volume=34|pages=52–74|doi=10.3138/jcs.34.1.52|s2cid=140481114|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070706013520/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3683/is_199904/ai_n8843392/pg_9|archive-date=2007-07-06|url-access=subscription}}</ref> "You have more rights than I thought you did," Prime Minister Trudeau told the NIB leaders.

The NIB gained [[consultative status]] with the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council]] in 1974, until such time as an international Indigenous organization could be formed. When the [[World Council of Indigenous Peoples]] was formed on [[Nuu-chah-nulth people|Nuu-chah-nulth]] territory the following year, under the leadership of George Manuel, it took the place of the NIB at the [[United Nations]].