Membership in a First Nation of person

Status: This standard was approved as a departmental standard on May 12, 2026.

Definition

Membership in a First Nation refers to whether or not a person is a member of a First Nation or Indian band. Historically, the Indian Act defined a band as a body of First Nations people for whose collective use and benefit lands have been set apart or money is held by the Crown, or who have been declared to be a band for the purpose of the Indian Act. Most bands have elected to call themselves a First Nation and have changed their name accordingly. With the 1985 amendment to the Indian Act (Bill C-31), many First Nations exercised the right to establish their own membership code, whereby it was not always necessary for a member to be a Registered Indian according to the Indian Act. Additionally, some First Nations have negotiated self-government agreements and are no longer governed by the Indian Act.

Person refers to an individual and is the unit of analysis for most social statistics programs.

Conformity to relevant internationally recognized standards

There are no relevant internationally recognized standards.

Classifications

• Classification of membership in a First Nation May 12, 2026 to current

Relation to previous version

• Membership in a First Nation of person May 12, 2026 to current

  The name of the concept and the classification have been modified, but the meaning is unchanged.

• Membership in a First Nation or Indian band of person April 01, 2021 to May 11, 2026

  The definition of the concept 'Membership in a First Nation or Indian band' has been reworded but the meaning is unchanged.

• Membership in a First Nation or Indian band of person June 15, 2015 to March 31, 2021

  This is an update to 'Membership in a First Nation or Indian band of person'. The definition has been reworded but the meaning is unchanged.

• Membership in a First Nation or Indian band of person April 20, 2009 to June 14, 2015

  This standard replaces the standard for 'Aboriginal, member of Indian band or First Nation', providing an expanded definition.

• Aboriginal, member of Indian Band or First Nation July 14, 1998 to April 19, 2009
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