Indigenous Rights

A passionate advocate for Indigenous Rights, Ruth Gorman was dedicated to various causes in her lifetime. Gorman raised public awareness of issues related to Indigenous Land, Treaty Rights, voting, education, and healthcare rights. Her advocacy work included fighting against Canadian Pacific Railway extensions into reserves, advocating for education supports that were not residential schools, and many other direct correspondence with House of Commons officials, the Senate, and several Prime Ministers over the years. 

Notable events include the Hobbema Case (1951-1957), where Gorman was the legal advisor on behalf of the Indian Association of Alberta (IAA) and successfully fought the forced eviction of over one hundred Cree residents of the Maskwacis reserve. The IAA case presented to Parliament was another such marked event which eventually resulted in the revision of the Indian Act (1960) to allow Indigenous Peoples to vote without losing their Treaty Status. Throughout her life, Gorman actively supported Indigenous Rights and empowerment.