Bill C-31

Bill C-31 is an amendment to the Indian Act regarding status and membership.^[1]

In Anishinabek News

January 2018: This legislation created new criteria for Indian status. It introduced Section 6 (2), which requires a child to have two parents with status to pass that status to the next generation.^[2]
February 2020: Bill C-31 was passed by the Conservative government in 1985 to officially end the practice of enfranchisement. The bill restored Indian Status to many people but included conditions that limited the rights of their descendants.^[3]
May 2020: This 1986 legislation allowed Ruby Marsden Hicks to regain her Indian Status after it had been stripped through enfranchisement.^[4]
May 2020: This legislation allowed for the restoration of Indian status to individuals who had been removed under previous versions of the Indian Act. It addressed the loss of rights caused by the historical five-year residency rule that was repealed in 1952.^[5]
November 2021: The amendment aimed to register Indigenous women who had lost their status due to marrying non-status men. It introduced a gap regarding unknown paternity that was later filled by restrictive administrative policies. The bill created a distinction between 6(1) and 6(2) status, leading to the second-generation cut-off rule.^[6]
April 2022: The family of Lesa Boissoneau was labeled as Bill C-31 during their efforts to secure their rights and status.^[7]
August 2026: Linda Debassige highlighted how this legislation has impacted the structure of families and communities.^[1]