Tsleil-Waututh Added to Elections Act

Summary#

The Order Amending the Schedule to the First Nations Elections Act (Tsleil-Waututh) adds the Tsleil-Waututh Nation to the list of First Nations covered by the First Nations Elections Act and fixes the date for their first council election under that law. The order was signed by Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services, on December 23, 2020, registered on December 30, 2020, and published in the Canada Gazette on January 20, 2021.

What it does#

• Adds Tsleil-Waututh Nation to the schedule of the First Nations Elections Act as entry 74.
• Sets the date of the first election of the Tsleil‑Waututh council as March 31, 2021.
• States the order comes into force on the day it is registered (registered December 30, 2020).
• Notes the change followed a Tsleil‑Waututh council resolution dated August 4, 2020 asking to be added.

Who's affected#

• Members (eligible voters) of Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
• People planning to run for the Tsleil‑Waututh council.
• Local election administrators and the band office responsible for running the vote.
• Indigenous Services Canada, which processes and records these changes.

Why it matters#

• The change means the First Nations Elections Act will govern how the Tsleil‑Waututh Nation’s council election is run, so rules and timelines from that federal framework will apply for the first election set for March 31, 2021.
• Fixing an election date gives the community, candidates, and election workers a clear schedule to prepare.
• This is a routine administrative step that affects governance in the Tsleil‑Waututh community; it does not by itself change other policies or programs outside the community.