Canada ends Indigenous rights negotiations with NunatuKavut

The Canadian federal government has terminated negotiations to recognize the Indigenous rights and self-determination of the NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC). The NCC represents approximately 6,000 people in southern and central Labrador who identify as ‘southern Inuit’.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) stated that the decision follows a review of historical and legal analyses, expert reviews, and submissions from the council. A spokesperson for CIRNAC, Jennifer Cooper, noted that the evidence provided did not meet ‘court-established tests for Indigenous rights and title’.

The NCC has sought recognition under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, a status that carries significant implications for land, hunting, and fishing rights, as well as access to federal funding. While the decision halts the assessment of Section 35 rights, officials clarified it does not affect the group’s ability to apply for federal programs and services that do not depend on such recognition.

The NCC expressed commitment to the advancement of its people despite the decision, noting they were not provided with substantive reasons for the termination of the process.