Indigenous leaders push for independent commissioner to enforce modern treaties

Indigenous leaders are calling for movement on a federal bill to create a watchdog to oversee modern treaty implementation.

The push came during a news conference Monday on Parliament Hill hosted by the Land Claims Agreements Coalition, a group of 23 First Nations and Inuit treaty or land claims agreement holders such as Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and Makivvik.

They urged all political parties in the House of Commons to support Bill C-10, federal legislation introduced last fall to establish a commissioner for modern treaty implementation. That bill is in second reading in the House.

Kilikvak Kabloona, CEO of NTI, said having a commissioner could prevent disputes from ending up in court.

“We don’t want to end up in court. Unfortunately, we don’t currently have a mechanism that can do the work that the commissioner would do,” Kabloona said Monday.

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. has previously used the courts to enforce provisions of the Nunavut Agreement. In 2015, its lawsuit led to a $255.5-million settlement over federal implementation failures regarding Inuit language education.

Modern treaties, also known as comprehensive land claims agreements signed after 1975, define land and resource rights between Indigenous signatories and the Crown.

The movement for an independent commissioner began under Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government in 2024.

The initiative was in response to decades of calls by Indigenous modern treaty partners for stronger oversight of 26 modern treaties covering more than 600,000 square kilometres of land.

The federal government committed $10.6 million over four years to support the commissioner, who would consult with Indigenous partners on cultural, linguistic, and resource rights.

Introduced then as Bill C-77, the legislation lapsed when Parliament dissolved in March 2025. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government reintroduced it after the last federal election as Bill C-10.

If the bills is passed, a commissioner would act as an independent agent of Parliament. He or she would audit federal departments and agencies, review performances on treaty obligations, and report publicly to Parliament, said Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty.

“Not even the minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, nor the prime minister, would have intervention,” she said in the House of Commons Monday afternoon.

“The independence of the commissioner will be free from political interference and pressure.”

The commissioner would serve a seven-year term and be selected in consultation with modern treaty partners, Gull-Masty said.

She noted the role is designed to complement, not duplicate, the work of the auditor general.

“The auditor general provides broad oversight of government spending. The commissioner’s mandate is exclusive to federal modern treaty implementation activities,” Gull-Masty said.

Nunavut MP Lori Idlout said she supports Bill C-10 and hopes it gains cross-party backing, although Conservative MPs have criticized it for creating more bureaucracy.

“I think that’s spreading disinformation on their part,” the NDP parliamentarian said in an interview.

“The auditor general monitors generally all of the activities of the federal government. The commissioner under [Bill] C-10 would have a specific role to monitor what’s going on with the implementation of modern treaties across Canada and requires specialized knowledge.”

If Bill C-10 passes second reading, it will proceed to committee where MPs would hear from witnesses and consider amendments before further votes in the House.