Thank you, Chief.
Good day, Chair and members of the committee.
My name is Hayden Guilderson, and I serve as a councillor for Ch'íyáqtel, or the Tzeachten First Nation. I am here as a representative of my nation, but also as a father, a community member and someone who has heard directly from our elders, parents and youth about what Indian Act registration means in real life.
I want to begin with a simple point. Ch'íyáqtel is currently facing a risk of legislative extinction, not because our people are disappearing but because of federal law narrowing who counts. We support the passage of Bill S-2 with the Senate amendments intact. We support addressing the second-generation cut-off. Reform is necessary and long overdue, but how that reform is implemented matters.
In 1992, Ch'íyáqtel progressively adopted a custom membership code under section 10 of the Indian Act. Our nation made a clear decision then. If you have a Tzeachten parent, you are Tzeachten. That means you belong to our nation. You are part of our community. You can participate in our ceremonies, hold land, access community supports and be recognized as one of our people, regardless of your status registration. This decision reflects kinship, cultural continuity, responsibility and nationhood.
In other words, Ch'íyáqtel already exercises self-determination by recognizing our own people. The problem is this: We recognize our people, and Canada often does not. Today, Ch'íyáqtel has approximately 750 members. Of those, 612 are registered under the Indian Act. About 190 of those registered members—approximately 31%—are registered under subsection 6(2). This matters because the second-generation cut-off means many of their children may not be eligible for registration if the other parent is not registered.
This is a personal scenario for me. My two children are recognized as Tzeachten members. They belong to our community, but under the current federal registration system, they are not eligible for Indian status because of the second-generation cut-off. That is the disconnect we are asking Parliament to address. The current federal system is creating a separate and shrinking definition of our people. Each generation, more of our members risk being recognized by Ch'íyáqtel but not by Canada.
This is already starting to affect families, housing, programs, services, funding, governance, land use decisions and long-term planning. At its core, this is a threat to Ch'íyáqtel's goal of self-determination. True self-determination requires the authority to define our own citizens. Ch'íyáqtel has already taken steps in that direction. Many first nations have, but federal systems have not kept pace with this.
That is why Bill S-2 matters. Passage alone is not enough. Ch'íyáqtel is recommending an opt-in, nation-to-nation implementation approach. Canada should pass Bill S-2 with the Senate amendments intact and collaborate with first nations on implementation agreements that address three key areas.
The first is the fiscal planning that the chief mentioned. This is essential to ensuring that funding and service arrangements reflect changes in recognition. If Canada is expecting first nations to support more members, the fiscal relationship must evolve accordingly and modernly.
Second, there should be capacity support so first nations are not left to handle administrative and governance pressures alone. This reform should not mean transferring responsibility without adequate resources in place.
Finally, respect for the jurisdiction of first nations is vital, allowing nations to define their own people based on their laws and customs.
This reform should not be delayed. It needs to be effective and adaptable. An opt-in approach enables nations to proceed at their own pace based on readiness and priorities. Ch'íyáqtel will continue to recognize our people. Canada must align with this reality, ensuring the registry reflects rather than limits our community.
Our message to this committee is clear: Pass Bill S-2 with the Senate amendments intact, address the second-generation cut-off and work with first nations on opt-in, nation-to-nation implementation agreements that include fiscal planning, capacity support and respect for our jurisdiction.
Thank you.