約莫自從15世紀末期開始,北美大陸的原住民族在面對殖民主義持續的擴張威脅下,不約而同的在國內與國際的舞台上,對於殖民國家的非法侵奪與搶占進行抗爭。從早期的美國印地安族群,接續的包括紐西蘭的毛利原住民族、澳洲原住民族,以及加拿大的第一民族等,分別在其國內的司法體制內尋求法律上的正義。這一股全球原住民族主張傳統固有自然主權之土地權利運動,刺激了過去兩個世紀國際法上對於原住民族權利的思辯。本文以加拿大對於原住民族土地權格論證歷史發展過程為例,依序探討、檢視加拿大第一民族在加國政權與殖民體制內的法律地位及其互動關係,並藉由解構加國司法判決的發展,呈現加拿大第一民族依其自然主權所具有原住民族土地自然權格之法律意義。本文期許在對臺灣原住民族傳統土地自然權格之建立上,將可提供一個非常重要的借鏡與不可或缺的前提。
In Canada, the legal theory of landownership has been that the sovereign owns all land for the benefit of the people of the realm and that the sovereign grants out rights in that land to subjects, who hold that land under the sovereign's paramount superiority. However for most Canadians, it is a misconception that they acquired this continent by discovery or the concept of first possession. Most of lands in the Canada were alienated from indigenous ownership to the Union of Canada through treaties and purchase.The issue of indigenous peoples' rights, particularly in relation to land rights, sovereignty and justice has become increasingly important on the political agenda and legal landscape across the globe. Taking Canadian legal system as an example, this paper is devoted to identify what roles the legal and political institutions and processes imposed upon aboriginal peoples play in a continuing process of colonial domination, as well as to the construction of the distinct link that indigenous nations have with land.