What was the impact of the assimilation policy on First Nations in the new provinces?

• A. It granted First Nations autonomous governance
• B. It promoted rapid economic partnerships with Indigenous groups
• C. It protected First Nations cultural diversity
• D. It aimed to absorb First Nations and Metis into a uniform Canadian society

Answer: (D)

Assimilation policy aimed to absorb First Nations and Metis into a uniform Canadian society, erasing distinct cultures, governance, and rights. In the new provinces, the federal government pushed systems that integrated Indigenous peoples into the dominant Euro-Canadian framework rather than recognizing autonomous nationhood. This showed up in measures like the Indian Act and the reserve system, compulsory schooling including residential schools, and policies that stripped political authority from Indigenous communities in favor of mainstream Canadian structures. The overarching goal was to align Indigenous peoples with a single national identity, not to protect cultural diversity or grant self-governance.