Introduction
- One hundred and eleven bills have been passed during the 42nd Legislature (December 2015 to date).
- The AFN has made presentations to several committees to oppose or advocate for various pieces of legislation, in accordance with the directives of the Chiefs in Assembly.
- The AFN has also advocated to raise public awareness of First Nations perspectives by writing letters to senators and parliamentarians, organizing strategic meetings and press briefings, and participating in demonstrations.
Priority Bills Monitored by the AFN
During the 42nd Legislature, 111 bills received Royal Assent. The AFN closely monitored the progress of 20 priority bills and made presentations regarding them.
Bill C-97, An Act to Implement Certain Provisions of the Budget Tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2019, and to Implement Other Measures
(Royal Assent granted on June 21, 2019)
- The AFN made a presentation on Bill C‑97 to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. This bill establishes two new departments: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and Indigenous Services Canada.
- The presentation recommended the removal of a portion of the bill to allow the budget to be passed while preventing the creation of the two new departments.
- The presentation states that “in this process, the Government of Canada did not fulfill its duty to obtain the free, prior, and informed consent of First Nations on matters directly affecting their inherent and treaty rights, their title, and their jurisdiction.”
Bill C-262, An Act to Ensure the Harmonization of Federal Laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
(This bill did not receive Royal Assent.)
- First Nations from across the country, along with the Canadian public, wrote more than 250,000 letters to parliamentarians and senators urging them to support the bill as a demonstration of their commitment to reconciliation.
- The Liberal Party formally announced that one of its campaign promises for the 2019 election would be to implement the United Nations Declaration. This promise adds to a previous commitment made by the NDP.
Additional Information
For additional information on AFN advocacy activities with Parliament, including a list of written submissions and committee appearances, please visit our website at: