The main provision of the White Paper was to eliminate Indian status as a distinct legal status for Aboriginal people, which the federal government envisioned as a step to achieving equality among all Canadians, by regarding Aboriginals as equal citizens like other Canadians [REF].
Other key provisions included abolishing the Department of Indian Affairs within five years,[REF] abolishing the reserve system,[REF] and converting reserve land into private, sellable property owned by the band or Aboriginal landholders [REF].