OTTAWA — Senators have passed sweeping amendments to a bill that would simplify the transfer of First Nations status between generations.
Bill S-2, introduced in the Senate and supported by the Liberal government, was drafted to eliminate some gender inequities in the Indian Act and allow some 6,000 people to become eligible for First Nations status, but some senators and community leaders said it didn’t go far enough.
Senators have changed the legislation to remove what is known as the second-generation cutoff, opting instead for a one-parent rule for the transmission of status.
The second-generation cutoff, which came from a 1985 amendment to the Indian Act, prevents individuals from registering for status under the Indian Act if they have a parent and a grandparent who did not have status.
The bill does not become law until it is passed in the House of Commons.
Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty says her government continutes to consult with First Nations on the issue.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2025.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
