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Sen. Paul Prosper speaks during a plenary session on economic reconciliation at the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Special Chiefs Assembly in Ottawa, 2024. Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press
First Nations MPs and senators are calling on the federal government to pass legislation changing the rules on status under the Indian Act before they leave Ottawa for the summer break.
They also say they don’t buy Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty’s argument that the government needs to continue consulting with First Nations before it amends the law.
The House of Commons standing committee on Indigenous and northern affairs, also known as INAN, is studying legislation that would change the rules establishing who is entitled to First Nations status under the Indian Act. It was introduced in the Senate as S-2 and initially had support from the governing Liberals.
The legislation was drafted to eliminate some gender inequities in the Indian Act and allow some 3,500 people to become eligible for First Nations status.
Some senators and First Nations leaders said the bill didn’t go far enough. Senators voted unanimously to extend eligibility requirements to allow status to be transferred to children if one of their parents is registered – eliminating what’s known as the “second-generation cutoff” – and sent the legislation to the House of Commons.
Current law uses a formula to determine whether an individual qualifies for “full” or “half” First Nations status. Some First Nations leaders say the formula punishes people over their choice of marriage partners.
Changes to the Indian Act introduced in 1985 prevent the transfer of status to a person who has at least one grandparent and one parent who do not have status – the second-generation cutoff.
All opposition parties in the House of Commons support the amended legislation to remove the second-generation cutoff. Gull-Masty has said repeatedly her government is not comfortable with moving forward with the bill as amended. She said the federal government needs to consult more with First Nations on a path forward.
Consultations have been ongoing since 2023, though Sen. Paul Prosper argues the government has known about First Nations’ concerns about the cutoff since it was introduced in 1985.
Prosper, who introduced the amendments in the Senate, said Gull-Masty’s argument flies in the face of widespread support among First Nations for ending the second-generation cutoff.
“The evidence is overwhelming,” he told a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday.
“One can’t look to consultation to deny that basic right to justice.”
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NDP MP Leah Gazan called Liberal MP Lori Idlout's change in her stance about the legislation 'unconscionable.' Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Conservative MP Billy Morin, the former chief of Enoch Cree Nation, said more than 4,000 letters have been sent to INAN demanding that the federal government pass the legislation as-is. He introduced a motion in the committee Thursday calling for debate to end and for clause-by-clause consideration to begin.
Prosper said Thursday some 500 First Nations have signalled their support for the bill, while another 14,298 people signed an e-petition calling for its passage.
That petition was launched by MP Lori Idlout before she crossed the floor from the NDP to the Liberals earlier this year. Since joining the governing Liberals, Idlout has said her position on the legislation has changed.
NDP MP Leah Gazan, who worked closely with Idlout on Indigenous issues while they were in the same party, said Idlout’s about-face on the bill “is unconscionable.”
“I would encourage her to stay true to the promises she made to First Nations women across the country when she first tabled the petition and not wilfully participate with the Liberal government to ... knowingly violate our rights,” said Gazan, who is a member of Wood Mountain Lakota Nation.
“The fact that this government is doing everything in their power to keep sexism and racism in the Indian Act is unconscionable.”
Opinion: Ottawa can easily fix sex discrimination in the Indian Act – but we’re still waiting
Gull-Masty was questioned Thursday during an INAN hearing about her government’s stance on the bill.
She pointed to a letter she received from the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations in which the group said it was not consulted on S-2. The sections she read aloud did not indicate that the Confederacy does not support removing the second-generation cutoff.
Gull-Masty’s office later told The Canadian Press the letter does not say the confederacy is opposed to changes.
Gazan said that even if there is some disagreement on the way forward, democracy should prevail.
“Certainly as Indigenous Peoples we have opinions that we agree on and disagree on. That’s called a democracy,” she said.
“Even if that was true, the majority of First Nations support ending sexual and racial discrimination in the Indian Act. In fac…
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Global NewsParty-alignedCenter5 days agoIndigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty is expected to introduce new legislation aimed at governing clean drinking water in First Nations communities. The proposed bill, obtained by the Canadian Press, is labeled 'for consultation until June 11, 2026,' though it is unclear if any revisions have been made since the consultation period ended. A similar bill introduced in 2023 faced opposition from Alberta and Ontario, who argued it could hinder resource development. That earlier proposal was based on a 2021 settlement agreement and included provisions for source water protection and the人权水
Bias read (Center): The article presents facts without overtly favoring one side. It mentions both the introduction of the legislation and the opposition from certain provinces, providing balanced information without using loaded language or emphasizing one perspective over another.
The Globe and MailIndependent🔒Center5 days agoA new proposed bill related to First Nations clean drinking water has been revised, omitting a provision that would have affirmed First Nations' human right to clean water. The bill is currently under consultation until June 11, 2026. Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty is expected to announce the bill soon, though it is unlikely to be debated before the fall due to the upcoming summer recess. A similar bill was introduced in 2023 under the previous government.
Bias read (Center): The article presents facts without overtly favoring one side. It reports on the revision of the bill, the timeline for consultation, and the expectations of Indigenous leaders and officials. There is no evident editorializing or biased language that leans toward either supporting or criticizing the省
Global NewsParty-alignedCenter5 days ago Liberals to table newest version of First Nations clean drinking water billLiberals plan to introduce a revised version of the First Nations clean drinking water bill. The new bill removes a provision from a previous version that would have recognized First Nations' human right to clean drinking water. The draft bill is available for consultation until June 11, 2026, but it is unclear if any changes have been made since the consultation period ended. The legislation is expected to be introduced in the House of Commons soon, though it is unlikely to be debated or passed before the fall.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overtly biased language or framing. It reports on the introduction of a legislative proposal and notes the removal of a specific provision, without taking a stance on whether this change is positive or negative. The tone remains neutral, focusing on a
Official sources cited
- press release Canadian Press
The Globe and MailIndependent🔒Center9 days ago Calls grow for Ottawa to change Indian ActFirst Nations MPs and senators are urging the federal government to enact changes to the Indian Act before the summer recess. They reject the claim by Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty that further consultation is needed before amending the law. A proposed bill, S-2, aims to address gender inequities in the Indian Act and expand eligibility for First Nations status. Some senators argue the bill does not go far enough and have expanded its provisions to include transferring status to children if one parent is registered.
Bias read (Center): The article presents multiple perspectives without overtly favoring any side. It reports on calls for legislative change, mentions opposition to the need for further consultation, and outlines the content of the proposed bill without editorializing or using biased language.
Official sources cited
- government House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN)
- government Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty
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