“First Nations are distinct peoples with fundamental rights, including the right to self-determination and governmental autonomy.”
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The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador announced Thursday it is creating an office of self-determination and government autonomy as part of a strategy to assert First Nations rights.
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The decision was made while “faced with a flagrant lack of will from governments to develop sound and egalitarian relationships with First Nations governments,” the AFNQL said in a statement.
The office will consolidate resources and expertise of different nations, while doing research on issues related to self-determination.
“I want to remind people of a fact: that First Nations are distinct peoples with fundamental rights, including the right to self-determination and governmental autonomy,” AFNQL chief Ghislain Picard said, pointing to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples , adopted in June 2021 by the Canadian government, which recognizes this fact. The Quebec government also recognized the principles of UNDRIP in 2019.
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“The exercise of the right to self-determination is not an action against Quebecers or Canadians,” Picard said. “It’s rather an action taken by and for our nations and our communities.”
Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, said First Nations historically “have been legislated over, we’ve been looked at as like underlings, or that we’re not equal, and those times are coming to an end .”
She said she welcomed the establishment of the office and a brighter future as First Nations assert themselves more strongly.
“We need to move away from the constructs of the Indian Act, and other kinds of colonial legislations that have impacted our people.”
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.