The chief of the Odanak First Nation in Quebec expects the federal government to appeal a court decision handed down this week that says the Indian Act still discriminates against women.
At issue is retaining status rights for the descendants of Indian women who marry non-status men. Chief Rick O’Bomsawin says while those rights were restored in 1985, discrimination still exists.
O’Bomsawin says it happened in his own family.
“When I got married in ’85 and had my second two children — same wife, same family — my children became full status,” he says. “But because I wasn’t married prior to 1985, only the man — only because it was a son — gained full status. The daughter didn’t get status.”
The chief calls the Quebec court ruling a victory, but he says the fight for equal status is far from over.
“This looks good, but what could it be?” he wonders. “You know, so I like to prepare for the other part. And, yes, we are preparing for if they decide to appeal it.”
The ruling was handed down by Quebec Superior Court this week. It gave the federal government 18 months to make further changes to the act to end the discrimination, which the court says has existed for more than 30 years.