AMC Legislative Update – Volume 5, Issue 1
June 1, 2021
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
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This legislative update provides information on current bills. Each bill that is included in this update has implications that will impact First Nations and their citizens.
The AMC Chiefs-in-Assembly have confirmed that all government laws or measures that affect First Nations or First Nations rights, that are tabled without consultation, will be opposed. This position is supported by Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In tabling these bills without consultation with First Nations, the provincial government is clearly failing to engage in a nation-to-nation relationship with First Nations, which is not in keeping with the honour of the Crown.
At the April 20, 2021 joint meeting of the Governance renewal Committee and the ECC, the Chiefs agreed that the AMC respond to the various provincial bills as follows:
1. The AMC continues with the ongoing application for judicial review of The Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment Act, 2020 (Bill 2);
2. The AMC oppose each bill in Committee;
3. The AMC member First Nations oppose each bill individually or the bills together as a group;
4. The AMC considers facilitating some political action against the current legislative agenda of the Pallister Conservative government (including a social media campaign, rallies, etc.);
5. The AMC Grand Chief’s Office confer with other First Nations organizations and allies to consider legally challenging some of the bills once they become law (the potential for a legal challenge of these bills is premature, as they have not yet come into force); and
6. The AMC facilitates a regional leadership forum on the various legislative initiatives that affect and impact the rights of First Nations.
Please click for summaries of the following bills:
Bill 2 – The Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment Act
Bill 12 – The Crown Land Dispositions Act
Bill 35 – The Public Utilities Ratepayer Protection Regulatory Reform Act
Bill 51 – Limitations Act
Bill 56 – The Smoking and Vapour Products Control Amendment Act
Bill 57 – The Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act
Bill 63 – The Petty Trespasses Amendment and Occupiers Liability Amendment Act
Bill 64 – The Education Modernization Act
The AMC Secretariat remains available to assist Chiefs and First Nations who want to challenge the province on one or all the bills identified. For further analysis of each bill, to receive assistance in draft letters or positions for an appearance at Committee, or for draft template Band Council Resolutions, please contact:
Natalie Ballentyne
Senior Political Policy Advisor
nballentyne@manitobachiefs.com