From an “Empty Box” to a “Full Box” – Kent McNeil

Kent McNeil, emeritus distinguished research professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, briefly describes the history of Indigenous peoples’ constitutional rights in Canada and explains the difference between inherent and contingent rights. He highlights the importance of section 35 in the Canadian Constitution for First Nations, while also stressing the ways successive Canadian governments have and continue to fail these communities in terms of self-government. Watch to learn about his suggestions on how First Nations can take a transitional approach to self-government based on their inherent right and expressing their own laws.