Mark Carney Opens Review of Indian Act After Historic Summit

Prime Minister Mark Carney convened a historic summit in Ottawa on October 26 and 27, 2026, marking the first time in two decades that federal, provincial, and First Nations leaders met together. During the gathering, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew urged the federal government to abolish the Indian Act, arguing the 1876 legislation is outdated and fails to reflect modern Canadian identity.

Carney stated he is "very open to" the idea of abolishing the Act but emphasized that the review process has no "fixed conclusion." He committed to instructing ministers to work with Indigenous leadership to either reform or totally abolish the law, provided the process is co-developed. However, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty signaled that the government would not adopt a one-parent rule for passing on status rights.

While some leaders supported the dialogue, the summit faced significant opposition. Chiefs from the Onion Lake Cree Nation and Carry the Kettle First Nation protested in Ottawa, asserting that national organizations like the Assembly of First Nations lack the authority to represent them without consent. Other critics, including Idle No More organizer Janice Makokis, warned that modernization could be a pretext to shift power away from Indigenous nations to facilitate land development.

Additional demands raised during the forum included increased support for First Nations policing to replace the RCMP and the inclusion of Timber Bay Children’s Home survivors in residential school settlement agreements. Conservative MP Ellis Ross dismissed the review as a costly exercise unlikely to produce meaningful change.