A meeting to discuss the federal government’s Bill C-3 was held this week at the University of Saskatchewan.
The Aboriginal Affairs Coalition of Saskatchewan is talking with people affected by changes to the Indian Act designed to eliminate gender discrimination.
Coalition president Kim Beaudin says citizenship must be clarified by First Nations and Metis groups.
“You know, if you’re a Metis person, but you’re eligible to become a status person, does that make you any less of a Metis person? Why couldn’t they have ‘dual citizenship’, would be the term. I mean, if you can get dual citizenship in the United States or any other country, why couldn’t you get dual citizenship in terms of being a Metis person, and you just happen to have a status card?”
Beaudin says groups across the country are holding similar meetings and will forward their ideas to the federal government.