First Nations: Reclaim Membership Rights

0:00It's March 23rd. This is Canada News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. A recent opinion piece argues that First Nations should reclaim control over their own membership rights. Written by Rose Lemay and published March 23rd, 2026, it focuses on Bill S2, which aims to update the Indian Act for new. Registration rules. The core idea is that communities, not the federal government, should decide who belongs. Lemay points out there is no need for more consultations from Indigenous Services, Minister Mandi Gaul-Masti's Department. She notes 50 years of advocacy and discussions have already happened on this issue. Many see the right to belong as a basic human right, and the piece claims the federal government never had legal authority to override First Nations. Decisions on status. The opinion urges communities to ignore any federal rejection and assert their own power moving forward. This push highlights ongoing tensions between self-determination and federal oversight in Indigenous affairs.