Statement - Canada Has Until End of January 2011 to Implement McIvor Decision – Will Continue to Pursue Adoption of Bill C-3 When Parliament Resumes in the Fall

Ref. #2-3380

Ottawa, Ontario (July 2, 2010) - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, issued the following statement today:

“On July 2, 2010, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia granted an additional extension of the suspension of the declaration of invalidity that resulted from the McIvor v. Canada ruling. The Government of Canada now has until January 31, 2011 to amend certain registration provisions of the Indian Act that the BC court deemed to be discriminatory.

This government is committed to continuing to seek passage of Bill C-3, which responds directly to the Court's ruling and we will continue to work diligently to see it passed in the fall session of Parliament. The approval of the extension sought by Canada avoids a legislative gap in British Columbia and provides more time for the government to secure the support required for the proposed legislation to be adopted in both the House of Commons and the Senate.

On March 11, 2010, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-3, Gender Equity in Indian Registration Act, to directly address the requirements of the British Columbia Court of Appeal decision. If passed, Bill C-3 will ensure that eligible grandchildren of women who lost status as a result of marrying non-Indian men will become entitled to registration (Indian status) in accordance with the Indian Act.

This legislation addresses a specific case of gender discrimination in the Indian Act related to Indian registration. I urge my parliamentary colleagues to support Bill C-3 and finally end this inequality.”

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