Our Work We advocate for First Nations in claims and negotiations over rights to lands, territories, and resources.
Canada is built on the land of First Nations, who for generations have consistently advocated for fair and equitable resolutions to land jurisdiction issues. The AFN’s Land Claims Policy Sector supports First Nations in negotiations over land claims, and in seeking new federal laws that provide full recognition of their inherent land rights.
Through colonization, governments have destroyed and stolen First Nations' lands, territories and resources.
The Indian Act of 1876 officially banned First Nations people from land ownership and eventually allowed companies to extract resources on reserve land for nominal or no consideration at all.
Canada's failure to recognize Treaty rights continues to feed the socio‑economic divide between First Nations and Canadians.
Land is a fundamental asset for sustainable economic development for First Nations, and land rights are critical for self-determination.
Initiatives & Priorities The policy areas, initiatives and committees driving change for First Nations in land claims and jurisdiction laws.
Specific Claims Reform
Additions to Reserve Reform
First Nations Seeking Reserve Lands/Recognition
Land Claims Policies and Negotiations
Documents The latest resources on this topic.
View All 22 Documentsarrow_forwardThe Assembly of First Nations is committed to making all our digital sites and products accessible for people living with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone while applying relevant accessibility standards: we strive to meet or exceed the W3C’s WCAG 2.1 Level AA for all our digital offerings.
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Assembly of First Nations
50 O’Connor Street, Suite 200
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6L2
Tel: +1 (613) 241-6789
Toll-free: +1 (866) 869-6789
Fax: +1 (613) 241-5808