Senator Gold, as you are aware, section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 affirms the existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada, rights which include, among others, self-determination, land rights and the duty of governments to consult and accommodate.

Despite these legal obligations, we continue to witness provincial legislation that disregards these protections. One recent example of many found across the country, in Ontario, is Bill 5, which centralizes control over municipal boundaries and planning processes without proper consultation with affected First Nations. It is deeply troubling.

Could you please advise us what specific measures the federal government is taking to ensure that provincial legislation upholds constitutionally protected Indigenous rights and the duty to consult as meaningfully observed?

Thank you, Senator Gold. This incident is emblematic of a broader and persistent exclusion of Indigenous voices from critical decision-making forums. Just this week, at the first ministers’ meeting, an event that deliberates on matters of national importance, where critical decisions affecting all jurisdictions were discussed, First Nations leaders were not invited to participate. Such omissions not only are inconsistent with the spirit of reconciliation but also perpetuate colonial power structures that treat Indigenous governments as secondary rather than as equal partners within the Canadian federation.