Canada: Human Rights

First Nations in Canada have the authority to establish their own membership systems independent of the Indian Act. This article examines three primary models for defining community membership—ethnic, civic, and residency—and explores how Indigenous communities can draft membership codes that reflect their values while avoiding historical discrimination and ensuring legal compliance.

The Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-utenam, along with the governments of Canada and Quebec, have signed a groundbreaking tripartite coordination agreement that enables the First Nation...

The Indian Act's registration provisions have undergone multiple amendments to address sex-based discrimination, yet many First Nations membership codes still incorporate outdated eligibility criteria from the 1985 Act. Recent court decisions have found these membership codes unconstitutional when they perpetuate the same discriminatory provisions that were challenged and remedied through Bills C-3 and S-3, creating a two-tier citizenship system that disadvantages descendants of female ancestors compared to

The Alberta Court of Appeal has reinforced the evidentiary requirements for Indigenous groups seeking standing before the Alberta Energy Regulator, clarifying that specific evidence demonstrating how a proposed approval could directly affect the exercise of Indigenous rights is essential. This decision addresses the intersection of regulatory standing requirements and Indigenous rights claims, while also examining the role of cumulative effects in establishing standing for regulatory appeals.

A BC Supreme Court decision has quashed a substantial start determination for a major mining project, finding the Crown failed to adequately consult an Indigenous nation after the Province's understanding of their territorial claim evolved. The ruling examines how changing circumstances can trigger fresh consultation obligations even after environmental certificates are issued, and what constitutes "substantial start" under BC's environmental assessment regime.

Recent Canadian court decisions have produced conflicting rulings on whether Aboriginal title can be declared over privately owned fee simple lands, creating legal uncertainty across the country. With the Supreme Court of Canada declining to resolve the issue and appeals still pending, governments, landowners, and Indigenous nations face an unsettled legal landscape that demands careful navigation and strategic planning.

Plus tôt cette année, la Cour d’appel du Québec (la « Cour ») a rendu sa décision dans l’affaire Procureur général du Québec c. Metellus (l’« arrêt Metellus »), où elle devait déterminer si l’abolition du régime des permis de propriétaires de taxi constituait une expropriation déguisée ouvrant droit à une indemnité. Ce faisant, elle a traité de la portée de l’arrêt Annapolis, rendu par la Cour suprême du Canada en 2022, en droit de l’expropriation québécois.

June marks the 30th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada, celebrated annually on the summer solstice. What is the historical significance of this day, and how are communities across Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, and Yellowknife honoring Indigenous heritage through cultural events, ceremonies, and gatherings?

La Cour suprême du Canada a confirmé que le lieutenant-gouverneur du Nouveau-Brunswick doit être fonctionnellement bilingue, établissant que l'égalité réelle des langues officielles exige...