Critics warn First Nations Matrimonial Property Rights bill ‘deeply flawed’

The federal government’s fourth bill to address matrimonial property rights on First Nations reserves will likely pass by the end of this month, but critics say it’s “deeply flawed” and doesn’t take into account the resources necessary to support Bill S-2’s implementation.

“Without all the other pieces like housing and mediation, this is not an answer to violence against women. We have to do more and the government needs to have listened. They haven’t listened before, and they haven’t listened in this committee and they’re just ramming it through with really serious repercussions if they would only talk to First Nations women,” said Liberal MP and aboriginal affairs critic Carolyn Bennett (St. Paul’s, Ont.), who is currently sitting on the House Status of Women Committee that is studying Bill S-2, First Nations Matrimonial Real Property Rights Bill.