For the last 150 years, the Indian Act has governed the lives of First Nations people. LISTEN | CBC's The House does a deep dive into the Indian Act: The House 48:36 150 years later, why does Canada still have the Indian Act? "The first versions of the Indian Act from the 1800s literally said that women could not be Indian unless they were married to an Indian man," Makokis said. The paper proposed abolishing the Indian Act and ending Indian status. Most experts agree getting rid of the Indian Act altogether can't be done unilaterally.

Source: CBC News April 08, 2026 16:12 UTC