Ottawa ends NunatuKavut bid for Indigenous rights recognition, NCC says

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-09-09 12:58:41.0
Tags: [National, Newfoundland and Labrador, Indigenous, Governance, Justice]

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty announced that the federal government is terminating the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding and the Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination process with the NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC). The federal Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) stated that evidence and documentation submitted by NCC to support claims under Section 35 of the Constitution Act did not satisfy court-established legal tests for Indigenous rights and title. The termination of the MOU takes effect on October 4, though CIRNAC noted the decision does not preclude NCC from applying for federal programs that do not require Section 35 recognition. The decision was welcomed by the Innu Nation and the Nunatsiavut Government, while NCC criticized the move and stated it will pursue all avenues, including potential legal action.