MP Reacts To Federal Court Ruling

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says the government will review a federal court ruling in favour of more than 600,000 off-reserve Metis and non-status Indians.
The court has ruled they are indeed “Indians” under the Constitution Act and they fall under federal jurisdiction.
Rickford says it’s too early to comment on the ruling.
Rickford notes the ruling is broad as it impacts federal and provincial jurisdictions.
The decision doesn’t give Ottawa a fiduciary responsibility to the group but it says such duties would flow automatically now that
their standing has been clarified.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and several Metis and non-status Indians argued they are entitled to some or all of the
same rights and benefits as on-reserve First Nations members.