Friendship Centres Host Forum On Bill C-3

Friendship Centres Host Forum On Bill C-3

Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 14:46

 

 

Questions about what it means to be Aboriginal and the impacts of a recent government bill are being raised in Saskatoon today.

 

The National Association of Friendship Centres is hosting the dialogue session at the Ramada Hotel.

 

Gwen Bear is the executive director of the Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan.

 

She says Bill C-3 passed in April, but its effects are only starting to be realized.

 

The bill was aimed at correcting gender imbalances within the Indian Act.

 

Bear says many of the fundamental problems are still there, though.

 

She explains she lost her status when she married a non-status man before 1985.

 

Bear eventually reclaimed it through Bill C-31.

 

However, despite the new legislation, she is still considered a lower status holder than other male members of her family.

 

Bear says in addition to this, today’s discussion will also ask what it means to be Indigenous and how residents describe their relationship to their nation or community.

 

Similar meetings are planned in Prince Albert, North Battleford, Buffalo Narrows and Fort Qu’Appelle at the end of the month.