“DRIPA gives First Nations a veto over government decisions.”
Bruce Pardy, Fraser Institute
Professor, Queen's University · Feb 2024
The Federal Court ruled in 2025 that free, prior and informed consent is 'a right to a robust process - not a veto or a right to a particular outcome.' The word 'consent' does not even appear in DRIPA's operative sections. It appears only within UNDRIP itself - and DRIPA's Section 7 agreements require Cabinet authorization and are voluntary, project-specific, and negotiated.
Federal Court of Canada · 2025-02-25[2025 FC 319]
Senate of Canada - Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples · Hon. David Lametti · 2021-05-31
Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP · 2021-09-01
Province of British Columbia · 2019-11-28[S.B.C. 2019, c. 44]
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP · 2019-12-02
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First published: April 1, 2026