Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has provided more details on its visit to the Six Nations community on Nov. 15, clarifying that the reason for the visit was to increase dialogue about border rights and issues faced by Indigenous peoples.

These details are a followup from a November 15 media release by the Six Nations Elected Council on its Facebook page, informing the community that CBSA would be entering the territory and said they were not made aware of the subject matter surrounding CBSA's visit.

CBSA confirmed in an email response to CJKS News that the organization, along with officials from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, met with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC).

CBSA spoke on the reason for the visit, stating that it wanted to increase dialogue about border rights and issues faced by Indigenous peoples'.

"The visit was meant to strengthen the CBSA’s relationship with Indigenous partners and advance the implementation of specific and relevant measures under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act," the email read.

"CBSA is working in close collaboration with IRCC and Indigenous nations, organizations and communities across Canada on Shared Priority Action Plan Measure 52. As part of that effort, consideration is currently being given to the potential to amend Section 19 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to broaden the application of the right of entry to Indigenous people other than First Nations people registered under the Indian Act."

The Department of Justice website states that Measure 52 surrounds addressing complex border crossing and migration challenges faced by Indigenous peoples divided by Canada's international borders, including options to amend Canada’s right of entry provision, and work and study permit requirements.

CBSA says that it has been working with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to engage with a wide range of interested First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, including bilateral discussions with representative organizations and through national consultations, in the form of Regional Roundtables that began in Oct. 2023 and will move across Canada by Jan. 2024.  

CBSA says the Nov. 15 meeting with HCCC was a part of those regional roundtable discussions.

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