Manitoba chiefs urge Ottawa to pass bill expanding Indian Act status eligibility

First Nations chiefs in Manitoba are pressing the House of Commons to pass Bill S-2 before the summer break, aiming to eliminate what they describe as discriminatory clauses within the Indian Act. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) highlighted the bill's importance in updating the criteria for obtaining status under the act and removing the second-generation cut-off.

This restriction, according to Indigenous Services Canada, prevents some First Nations individuals with status from transferring it to their children if two consecutive generations have only one parent with status. The proposed amendment would allow status to be passed on as long as one parent is registered under the act.

“

No child should lose recognition because of who their parent or grandparent has married or decided to have children with. No families should continue to suffer because of discriminatory provisions created by Canada, not by us.

"No child should lose recognition because of who their parent or grandparent has married or decided to have children with. No families should continue to suffer because of discriminatory provisions created by Canada, not by us," stated AMC Grand Chief Kyra Wilson. She emphasized that Parliament faces a clear choice: pass Bill S-2 to remove this discrimination or prolong the wait for First Nations families.

Individuals with "Indian status" in Canada are eligible for specific rights and benefits, including potential tax-exempt income, financial aid for post-secondary education, and treaty rights related to hunting, fishing, and trapping on treaty lands. Bill S-2, introduced in the Senate in May 2025, has passed that chamber and is now under consideration by the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

“

Before June 19, Parliament faces a simple choice to pass Bill S-2 and finally remove this discrimination from federal law or leave First Nations families waiting once again.