Indigenous Peoples drive political and economic change in Canada

Indigenous communities across Canada are asserting their rights and responsibilities to the land, shaping the country’s political and economic future.

For thousands of years, Indigenous Peoples have maintained a relationship with the land, prioritizing its health and using its resources sustainably through practices like hunting, fishing, and foraging. They continue to oppose large-scale developments that threaten their territories and way of life, often facing repression and violence from the Canadian government and police forces.

Grand Chief Steward Phillip of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs described how Canadian police forces acted like a “paramilitary enforcement regime” when confronting Indigenous land defenders, arresting and injuring people. Amnesty International designated Wet’suwet’en leader Dsta’hyl a prisoner of conscience in 2024 after he received a 60-day house arrest sentence for resisting a pipeline on his territory, marking the first time the organization has issued such a designation in Canada.

The Assembly of First Nations currently opposes Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plans to accelerate approvals for major development projects without adequately consulting Indigenous communities. They are upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution, which legally recognize Indigenous land rights and self-determination. Indigenous Peoples envision a future where they are treated as equals in decision-making, utilizing their traditional governance systems and prioritizing the long-term sustainability of Canada’s natural resources.