Overview

• The B.C. Supreme Court found that denying status based on a family history of enfranchisement infringed Charter rights.
• The federal government acknowledged the provisions perpetuated discrimination, which spared a full trial after the 2021 filing.
• A related Federal Court class action seeks damages for lost benefits, with an estimated class of 5,000 to 10,000 people.
• Plaintiffs' counsel says a legislative remedy could operate across Canada rather than be confined to B.C.
• Many ancestors renounced status to avoid discriminatory restrictions on voting, property rights, and residential schooling, causing intergenerational loss of benefits.