Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Dakota and Lakota First Nations
Today, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, delivered an apology on behalf of the Government of Canada, to the nine Dakota and Lakota First Nations in Canada for past harms relating to Canada's longstanding denial of their rights. Minister Anandasangaree affirmed the nine communities' status as "Aboriginal peoples of Canada" with constitutionally protected Section 35 rights. This historic apology is an important step toward healing and reconciliation which will help renew our Nation-to-Nation relationships.
This long-overdue statement of recognition and apology was delivered at a ceremony held today with Dakota and Lakota First Nations' leadership, Elders, youth and community members at Whitecap Dakota Nation. Approximately 650 people were in attendance.
The Dakota and Lakota First Nations have long sought formal recognition of their rights and an apology for the past wrongs which were acknowledged in today's statement. For too long, Canada failed to formally recognize the Dakota and Lakota First Nations as "Aboriginal peoples of Canada" within the meaning of Section 35 of Canada's Constitution and treated these First Nations unjustly as "second class First Nations" and strangers here in Canada. The nine Dakota and Lakota First Nations were not invited to sign Treaties in the 1870s and received no Treaty rights or benefits as a result, including smaller reserves than Treaty First Nations.
The Dakota and Lakota First Nations were critical to the development of Canada, and this lack of recognition by Canada has had a profound impact on the Nation-to-Nation relationship and to the Dakota-Lakota people for many generations. The Dakota and Lakota have endured the same legacies of colonialism as any other First Nation in Canada: they were subjected to the Indian Act, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop and various other laws and policies that have harmed Indigenous Peoples. The Dakota and Lakota have shared in this experience, yet have been denied the constitutional recognition and protection that other Indigenous groups have.
Today's historic ceremony is also an important step towards ensuring that every person in this country learns about our collective history and Dakota and Lakota contributions to Canada. The Government of Canada will continue to work with its Dakota and Lakota partners to rebuild relationships based on respect for rights and advance their visions of a better future for the benefit of their communities.
