Letter to minister gull-masty

Nov 27, 2025
2 min read

Updated: May 26

November 17, 2025

Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty

Minister of Indigenous Services

140 O'Connor Street

Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H4

Via email: mandy.gull-masty@sac-isc.gc.ca

RE: S-2, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements)

On behalf of Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc (MTI), we are writing you to urge your leadership to act on the recommendations outlined in the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples’ 2022 report, Make it Stop! Ending the Remaining Discrimination in Indian Registration. We further call on you to honour the voices of the many communities, organizations, and rights holders who have consistently advocated for the immediate elimination of the second- generation cut-off. We acknowledge that many of these same witnesses continue to contribute to the ongoing Collaborative Process.

This long-standing issue, which continues to deeply impact our communities, has already been the subject of extensive study and review. Over the decades, almost all of studies on this subject recommend the second-generation cut-off be removed. Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn has been meeting with Mi’gmaq community members in New Brunswick on identity and they still feel removing the second-generation cutoff is necessary to truly reflect the membership and citizenship in their communities. No further study separate from this Bill is required.

While these forthcoming amendments are a positive step forward, none of these amendments can replace the implicit need to empower and support First Nations in the development and implementation of their own identity laws. We also remind the Government of its commitment made during consultations on the Desautel amendments, to address how an increase in registered band members impacts the need for additional resources, such as expanded access to fisheries and other resource sectors.

As affirmed in the Descheneaux and Nicholas decisions, the Federal Government must move beyond narrow, incremental, and piecemeal amendments to registration under the Indian Act. Accordingly, we call on the Government to take decisive action to:

Eliminate the second-generation cut-off without delay;
Remove the 1985 cut-off provisions; and
Reinstate the one-parent rule.

We understand that such amendments may be introduced following the Senate’s study of this bill, and we strongly encourage the Government to give full consideration and support to their adoption.

Yours in Peace and Friendship,