AFN outlines First Nations priorities ahead of Parliament and First Ministers meeting

By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak is calling on the federal government to place First Nations priorities at the centre of Canada’s national agenda as Parliament resumes this month.

Woodhouse Nepinak outlined the AFN’s priorities on Sept. 17 in Treaty 2 Territory in Brandon, Manitoba, ahead of the fall parliamentary session and a planned First Nations–First Ministers’ Meeting in Ottawa next month.

“The world is changing rapidly, and the coming months will bring important decisions for Canada, and for First Nations,” Woodhouse Nepinak said in an AFN statement.

She addressed economic and sovereignty-related pressures involving the United States, saying Canada and First Nations must move beyond simply managing risks.

“We can be an example to the world of mutual support and respect,” she said. “Canada and First Nations face a generational opportunity to show what true partnership and the rule of law really means in Nation-to-Nation relationships.”

Woodhouse Nepinak said the relationship between First Nations and Canada must be strengthened through mutual respect and the implementation of Indigenous rights consistent with Treaties, the Canadian Constitution and international law.

She also pointed to the ongoing gap in well-being between First Nations people and other Canadians, saying it should inform federal decision-making.

Priorities for Parliament

The AFN says First Nations will bring forward positions on sustainable economic development, major-project regulation, energy policy and environmental protection during the upcoming parliamentary session.

The organization identified several legislative and policy priorities, including legislation to support First Nations policing services and recognize First Nations’ inherent jurisdiction.

The AFN is also calling for legislation recognizing Indian Residential School denialism as a hate crime.

Other priorities include repealing the Indian Act’s second-generation cut-off rule and respecting First Nations’ inherent authority over their own citizenship.

The organization is seeking amendments to the proposed First Nations Clean Water Act and changes to the Cannabis Act to better align with First Nations priorities. It is also calling for First Nations to be prioritized in the federal budget and for action to address outstanding Treaty obligations.

Woodhouse Nepinak said Parliament’s agenda, the federal budget and federal Cabinet decision-making should reflect First Nations priorities while respecting constitutional, Treaty and international legal obligations.

First Nations–First Ministers’ Meeting

The AFN says Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed in December 2025 to its request for a First Nations–First Ministers’ Meeting and invited First Nations to help set the agenda. The meeting is scheduled for Oct. 26, 2026, in Ottawa.

According to the AFN, Carney has also invited First Ministers to participate in a special day of ceremony in Ottawa on Oct. 25, the day before the meeting, following requests from Chiefs across Canada. The AFN says First Nations leadership will approach the gathering through ceremony and a commitment to building constructive relationships.

The organization was scheduled to hold a national virtual meeting with Chiefs on Sept. 23 to provide an update on planning for the Oct. 25 and 26 events.

Economic development and Indigenous rights

Woodhouse Nepinak said First Nations are prepared to participate in Canada’s economic growth while maintaining their rights and responsibilities.

“First Nations are eager to be partners in economic growth, but we will not forfeit our rights, our inherent jurisdiction and title, nor our obligations to our people and the lands and waters,” she said. “This fall, in Parliament and at the First Ministers Meeting, our message will be simple and practical: Our rights are our rights. And this land is our land.”

The AFN represents First Nations communities and individuals across Canada on matters of national and international concern.

The First Nations–First Ministers’ Meeting is scheduled for Oct. 26 in Ottawa, with a day of ceremony planned for Oct. 25.