The phrase "citizens plus," coined in the 1966 Hawthorn Report, defined Aboriginal people as citizens "who possessed the same rights and responsibilities as other Canadians, in addition to those rights guaranteed through treaties and initial occupation of North America."
In a1963 report, A Survey of the Contemporary Indians of Canada: Economic, Political, Educational Needs and Policies, Harry B. Hawthorn concluded that Aboriginal peoples were Canada’s most disadvantaged and marginalized population. They were “citizens minus.” Hawthorn attributed this situation to years of failed government policy, particularly the residential school system, which left students unprepared for participation in the contemporary economy. Hawthorn recommended that Aboriginal peoples be considered “citizens plus” and be provided with the opportunities and resources to choose their own lifestyles, whether within reserve communities or elsewhere. He also advocated ending all forced assimilation programs, especially the residential schools. (Hawthorn’s two-volume report can be read online here.)