Anishinabek Nation calls for respectful and flexible firearms regulations to support Indigenous hunting rights

Anishinabek Nation calls for respectful and flexible firearms regulations to support Indigenous hunting rights

ANISHINABEK NATION TERRITORY (September 24, 2025) — With the fall season, the Anishinabek Nation continues its commitment to upholding the rights and traditions of its First Nations, particularly in the area of sustainable and culturally significant harvesting (hunting) practices.

“As the federal government continues to implement firearms regulations, we are advocating for policies that recognize and accommodate First Nation practices,” states Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige. “We need to ensure that they are protected and respected, including the statement by the Supreme Court of Canada in the R. v. Sparrow decision that Aboriginal people are entitled to use their ‘preferred means of exercising their rights’. Further, the same court in the Blueberry River First Nation decision acknowledged that for some First Nations, industrial and commercial development in their territories is increasing the amount of effort and investment required to exercise their rights. We are pleased to see that recent firearms regulations have included some important exemptions that acknowledge First Nation rights under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Specifically, Indigenous hunters have alternative means for safety certification, including Elders and others with sufficient knowledge of safety and the law.”

• Continue to recognize and respect First Nation hunting rights and their preferred means of exercising them in their use of all classes of firearms purchased prior to the change in regulations.
• Understand that increased industrialization and commercialization of our territories means that First Nations must become more efficient in exercising their rights, including utilizing different models of firearms.
• Provide clear exemptions and allowances for First Nations protected Section 35 rights.
• Ensure licensing requirements are flexible for First Nations hunters, respecting their sovereignty and traditional ways, and the impact on loss of culture, including the cultural practice of harvesting.

“Our communities remain dedicated to responsible firearm use, and we seek partnerships with government agencies to ensure our traditional practices are preserved and supported with regulation that is respectful of First Nation Section 35 rights,” states Grand Council Chief Debassige.

The Anishinabek Nation is a political advocate for 39 member First Nations across Ontario, representing approximately 70,000 citizens. The Anishinabek Nation is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. 

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For inquiries, please contact:

Laura Barrios
Communications Coordinator
Anishinabek Nation
(705) 498-1957
laura.barrios@anishinabek.ca