Bill C-38, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements)
Find out what the Government of Canada is doing to address remaining inequities in registration and First Nations membership under the Indian Act.
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Bill C-38, An Act to amend the Indian Act
Introduced on December 14, 2022, Bill C-38 seeks to:
- address the inequity of enfranchisement
- enable deregistration by application
- eliminate sex-based inequities in the membership provisions of the Indian Act
- remove some outdated and offensive language from the Indian Act
If passed, Bill C-38 will:
- ensure persons with a family history of enfranchisement will be treated the same as those without
- enable persons who wish to have their names removed from the Indian Register to apply for deregistration
- enable women who were automatically transferred to their husbands' band to seek reaffiliation with their natal band
- women and their direct descendants may apply
- remove dated references to mentally incompetent Indians
Changes in entitlement to registration
Bill C-38 has yet to be given royal assent and become law, so, until then, the proposed amendments can't be applied to applications for registration or protests.
If, after initial review, it appears that your entitlement to registration may change as a result of the proposed amendments, we will advise you in writing that your application is being held until Bill C-38 receives royal assent or until it becomes clear that Bill C-38 won't move forward.
If Bill C-38 becomes law, your application will be processed based on the date it was received. You won't need to reapply.
If you think you are impacted by Bill C-38, we encourage you to apply for registration now.
To find out how to apply for registration, visit Indian status.
Contact us
To find out more about Bill C-38, please reach out to us: engagementinscriptionpn-fnregistrationengagement@sac-isc.gc.ca.