The Canadian government has acknowledged the profound impact of colonial borders on Indigenous Peoples, causing stress on families, cultural ties, traditional practices, and economic opportunities.

To address these challenges and advance reconciliation, the Honourable Marc Miller announced temporary measures to help Indigenous people in the United States reunite with their families in Canada and reconnect with their traditional territories.

These measures include allowing eligible Indigenous people to work or study in Canada with certain requirements waived and extend their stay for up to three years. The government aims to relieve hardship on families while working toward long-term solutions and implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, emphasized the importance of responding to the urgent needs of families separated by borders and strengthening and expanding Indigenous mobility rights. The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, highlighted the significance of reducing the burden of border impacts on Indigenous Peoples as part of reconciliation.

The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, also emphasized the importance of these measures in respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and advancing reconciliation. The Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict and Canadian co-chair of the Jay Treaty Border Alliance, Chief Michael Conners of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and United States co-chair, and Chairwoman Jennifer Porter of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and United States co-chair expressed their support and appreciation for the measures, acknowledging the impact of the Canada-US border on Indigenous communities and the importance of reuniting families. The UN Declaration Act, which came into force on June 21, 2021, provides a framework for upholding the human rights of Indigenous Peoples and moving forward with reconciliation.

The Government of Canada is exploring legislative and policy reforms to address Indigenous mobility issues and is working closely with Indigenous communities, governments, and organizations to ensure that these measures are expanded as necessary. The government has also implemented temporary public policies and ministerial instructions to exempt certain Indigenous persons and their family members from temporary residence requirements and fees for processing temporary residence applications and the collection of biometric information.

Overall, the Canadian government's temporary measures to support cross-border mobility for Indigenous Peoples aim to address the challenges faced by Indigenous families separated by the Canada-US border and work towards implementing long-term solutions while advancing reconciliation and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Source: IRCC Newsroom