In this pioneering book, Bonita Lawrence draws on the first-person accounts of thirty Toronto residents of Aboriginal descent, as well as archival materials, sociological research, and her own urban Native heritage and experiences to shed light on the Canadian government’s efforts to define Native identity through the years. She describes the devastating loss of community that has resulted and how urban Native people have wrestled with their past and current identities. Lawrence also explores the forms of nation-building that can reconcile the differences in experiences and distinct agendas of urban and reserve-based Native communities.

Bonita Lawrence's profile page

Bonita Lawrence is an associate professor at York University, where she teaches anti-racism and Native Studies.

The strength of her book and its analysis lies in her use of participants’ lived experiences and their recollections of their parents’ own struggles as Indians, Metis, mixed bloods, or descendants of these groups…the book represents an important contribution to an often-neglected group of people in Canada. The strength and passion of the narrative, together with the consistency of the argument, builds a powerful case for government redress and certainly for further study and action.

The Canadian Historical Review, vol. 87, no.1