In this Brief, Hayden King traces the “off-ramp” approach to re-shaping the Act, showing how incremental reforms have created a landscape where First Nations are increasingly opting into new legal and policy frameworks outside the Act. The vanishing Indian Act raises questions about the direction of governance on reserves, what is replacing the Act, and who is actually steering.
Following Canada’s push for accelerated resource development, new “Cooperation Agreements” between the federal and provincial governance promise faster approvals for industry. In this Brief, Hayden King examines these agreements and finds that there are trade-offs for efficiency and coordination. This approach hands more authority to provincial governments, many already facing criticism for weak environmental oversight and inadequate consultation with Indigenous communities, and raises concerns about how Indigenous rights will be respected when the federal government abdicates its responsibilites.
The 2025 Federal Budget made cuts to Crown Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services Canada. While Indigenous leaders and unions protested the reductions, Shady Hafez offers some perspective: these “Indian Departments” are tasked with administering colonization. Considering their history and many recent failures, these departments should face cuts and those resources allocated directly to communities instead. Additionally, public sector unions must reconcile their calls for justice for Indigenous people with their ongoing support of a colonial bureaucracy.
In this brief, Riley Yesno examines the 2025 federal budget and what it means for Indigenous Nations, in material terms.
Budget 2025: A New Era in Indigenous-Canada Relations? Read More »
In this Brief, Dakota Erutse traces the arc of these narratives and reflects on what Mark Carney’s new unifying legislation obscures about Canada’s relationship with the North.
Reflections on “Northern Squalor” and Sovereignty Read More »
Janna Wale and Michaela McGuire review BC’s Bill 14 and 15, finding much to be concerned about and an urgency to address it. These concerns relate to Indigenous rights but also the health of the environment — both of which appear to be sacrificed for “fast-tracked” industrial development in the province.
“Fast-Track” to Disaster: BC’s Bill 14/15, Indigenous Rights & the Climate Crisis Read More »