she/her | Parliament Hill reporter @cdnpresspoli covering Indigenous politics + people | niminwendaan ji-dibaajimoyaan | reach me at axp@cp.org / DMs open
Unceded Algonquin Territory
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Taking over @DennisWardNews’s gig!
(Kidding, just in Winnipeg for Manitoahbee this weekend)
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Alessia Passafiume retweeted
Some First Nations leaders in BC push back against Manitoba premier’s call to abolish Indian Act cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c…
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Alessia Passafiume retweeted
Gull-Masty told iPolitics on Tuesday that she’s “looking forward” to detailing next steps for the bill, but her office later clarified that she wasn’t promising news anytime soon. The PM said Monday that a response “will be coming soon” to S-2 #cdnpoli ipolitics.ca/2026/10/28/gull…
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Canada appeals landmark rulings that found it has legal duties on First Nations water and housing
“The Government of Canada continues to fight us in Court over one of our most basic rights as human beings”
#cdnpoli
aptnnews.ca/national-news/ca…
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Alessia Passafiume retweeted
Opinion: Talk of abolishing the Indian Act is needed, but it hijacked a meeting on Bill C-39 theglobeandmail.com/opinion/…
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Conservative MP Ellis Ross, the former chief councillor of the Haisla Nation in British Columbia, called the entire proposal to abolish/reform the Indian Act a costly exercise that's unlikely to lead to meaningful change
#cdnpoli
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-say…
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“I can see this going on for years, and the academics, … the lawyers making a career out of this, and it'll go on and on,” Ross told me.
“Don't get us involved in a decades-long dispute process unless you have something of substance to offer us.”
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-say…
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Important note here from Chief Sheila North on talks of the Indian Act at the First Nations-First Ministers meeting.
The Natural Resources Transfer Agreements are a major issue for chiefs in the Prairies, and require Constitutional change.
#cdnpoli
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-say…
And to be clear, it was only the PM and Wab who talked about the abolishment of the IA! Chiefs talked about abolishing the NRTA! Among other things. But it was only the two who brought up the IA in this way.
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Those agreements were signed when our communities were banned — by the Indian Act! — from hiring lawyers.
I haven’t covered the issue in depth, but the AFN has some info on it here:
afn.ca/all-news/bulletins/as…
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There are existing pathways allowing First Nations to opt out of the Indian Act and move toward self-government — 24 such agreements have been signed with more than 40 communities. 100 self-government negotiations are taking place across the country.
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-loo…
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Talk of reforming or abolishing the Indian Act comes as Carney works to speed up development of major projects alongside the provinces and Indigenous Peoples.
The Building Canada Act initially gave Ottawa the power to sidestep the Indian Act.
#cdnpoli
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-say…
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"We must scrutinize whether the language of modernization and economic partnership is being used to shift power away from our nations while opening our territories to development," Janice Makokis said.
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-say…
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Alessia Passafiume retweeted
Danielle Smith eked out a majority on a series of immigration that were manipulative and misleading.
The results should not be seen as a mandate, but a wakeup call.
My post-mortem on the Alberta referendum for @TheTyee
thetyee.ca/Opinion/2026/10/2…
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Alessia Passafiume retweeted
"It even governs First Nations people after death, with the Indigenous Services minister required to approve of wills for people living on reserve,"
We just went through a lengthy process in relation to this.
A historic meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney, premiers and First Nations was meant to build bridges between communities and work out issues related to major projects development, respecting rights, health and public safety amid rising tensions.
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-pre…
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Protestors outside the meeting were warning about the dilution of the Indian Act and First Nations rights before the announcement was even made, and talk of abolishment is likely to generate heated debate.
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-pre…
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The Indian Act gives Ottawa sweeping powers over First Nations communities and people, including by defining who qualifies for recognition, what reserves can and can't do, dismantles traditional forms of governance and, at one point, outlawed ceremony.
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-pre…
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A historic meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney, premiers and First Nations was meant to build bridges between communities and work out issues related to major projects development, respecting rights, health and public safety amid rising tensions.
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-pre…
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But it ended with calls from Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew to abolish the controversial Indian Act, and agreement from Carney something must be done about the legislation from 1876 that governs First Nations.
Carney said he is “very open” to abolishing it.
ca.news.yahoo.com/carney-pre…
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“But last point and then I'll hand to the national chief how it could happen, how it could be abolished. And to be clear, I'm very open to that,” is what Carney told us before I asked this question.
#cdnpoli
"That is exactly what I did not say."
After endorsing @WabKinew's call to reform or abolish the Indian Act, @MarkJCarney walks back on his statment when pressed by reporters.
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