and The 1927 Indian Act forbade aboriginals in Canada from forming political organizations as well as practicing their traditional culture and language.
The two parties found common ground on a number of issues, but the Blood tribe's bitterness toward the "Cree Association" persisted.
James Gladstone, a Cree Indian by birth, worked on behalf of his adopted Blood tribe to improve relationships between their association and the IAA.
Through leaders Gladstone, John Laurie, Malcolm Norris and others, the IAA became much more active at lobbying provincial and federal governments and raising public support.
They became involved in the planning of legislation when the federal government established a special joint committee to investigate ways to revise the Indian Act in 1946.
IAA delegates to the committee put forward a number of resolutions in favour of treaty rights, education and social assistance.
Still, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development officials continued to treat each band as "their wards who were not ready for responsibility."
The IAA pressed for revisions to the Indian Act that would secure their treaty rights, and in 1959, another joint committee was established, with Gladstone as co-chair.
Prime Minister John Diefenbaker had appointed Gladstone to the Canadian Senate in 1958, a sign that his government was more willing to work on behalf of Indians' interests.