January 6, 2025 marked the end of an era in Canadian politics with the announcement of Justin Trudeau’s resignation as Prime Minister. His tenure will undoubtedly be remembered as a transformative period, but for Indigenous peoples, his legacy is as complex and colorful as a traditional ribbon skirt, mixing hope, success, disappointments and still too much untapped potential.
Justin Trudeau came to power in 2015 with promises of reconciliation and partnership with Indigenous nations. His words resonated deeply, offering a vision of Canada aimed at righting centuries of injustice. Under his leadership, we have witnessed important legislative milestones, such as the adoption of the Indigenous Languages Act (C-91) and the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Inuit children, youth and families. Métis (C-92).
These laws represent essential steps in the journey towards recognition and self-government. C-91 recognizes the crucial importance of Indigenous languages, while C-92 affirms the right of Indigenous communities to manage child protection in their territories.
Robert Falcon Ouellette is an anthropologist from the Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. He specializes in the areas of indigenous education, military ethics and political science. He holds a doctorate and two master’s degrees from Laval University. He also served in the Canadian Armed Forces and was the federal Liberal MP for Winnipeg Center from 2015 to 2019. He is now an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa.
However, these successes are only part of the story. The Trudeau government has also been criticized for its approach, often described as fragmentary
to address indigenous issues. While programs like Jordan’s Principle, which aims to ensure equitable health care for Indigenous children, have provided critical support, their future remains uncertain, with unsecured funding beyond this fiscal year and gaps observed even to this day.
These short-term commitments underscore a larger problem: the federal government’s inability to fundamentally transform systems rooted in colonial frameworks.
A broken system slightly softened
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The Indian Act was enacted in 1876 and amended several times since.
Photo : CBC / Falen Johnson
Despite legislative progress, Indigenous leaders and communities continue to face the harsh realities of systemic inequalities. The Indian Act, a vestige of colonialism, still governs the lives of First Nations in Canada.
Its coexistence with progressive laws, such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (C-15), highlights a glaring contradiction. How can we claim to honor the principles of DNUDPA while retaining laws that perpetuate colonial control?
The Trudeau government has often seemed to favor changing the existing broken system rather than considering its complete overhaul. While some adjustments have made life a little more bearable for many, they fall far short of the transformative change that reconciliation requires.
The lack of a comprehensive agreement on child and family services, which has now been in dispute for 15 years, despite years of negotiations, illustrates this piecemeal approach. Without a unified strategy, the suffering of Indigenous children and families persists, with the state often playing a disruptive rather than supportive role.
The promise of reconciliation
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, holds a copy of the report presented to him by commissioners Marion Buller, center, Michele Audette, third from right, Brian Eyolfson, second from right, and Qajaq Robinson during of the closing ceremony of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, in Gatineau, Quebec, June 3, 2019.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Adrian Wyld
In his defense, Justin Trudeau understood the importance of reconciliation. It created space for important conversations and elevated the voices of Indigenous people in Parliament. Programs like the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls have brought long-overdue attention to systemic violence. However, these efforts have often been undermined by slow implementation of recommendations and failure to produce substantial results.
We cannot ignore the symbolic gestures that marked Trudeau’s leadership: raising the Pride flag on Parliament Hill, apologizing for historical wrongs and participating in ceremonies recognizing Indigenous traditions. These moments were important, but symbolism alone cannot heal the wounds of the past or build a just future.
Moving forward
As a former MP and Chair of the Parliamentary Indigenous Caucus, I have witnessed both the potential and limitations of federal leadership in addressing Indigenous issues. I have seen how small victories, like the recognition of Indigenous languages in the House of Commons, can inspire hope.
But I also felt the frustration of a system that prioritizes political considerations over meaningful change. Getting interpretation of Indigenous languages in the House of Commons was, in itself, an uphill struggle.
The next chapter in the history of Canada and its relations with its indigenous peoples will have to answer fundamental questions: why does the Indian Act still exist in 2025? How do the principles of DNUDPACan , such as self-determination and equality, coexist with laws that deny these very rights? And why does the federal government continue to treat reconciliation as a series of isolated tasks rather than a coherent and transformative mission?
As Canada looks to its next leader, the promise of reconciliation must be delivered through bold action, not incremental adjustments.
Indigenous peoples deserve a future free from colonial constraints—a future where their governments, their languages, and their children thrive on their own terms. To do this, Canada must confront its colonial past with courage and commit to dismantling the systems that perpetuate inequalities.
Prorogation stifles, a cruel silence,
A poison that betrays the call for renewal.
She slows down hearts ready to break the sky,
And leaves the people under a yoke that is too heavy, too old.
