Immigration minister says he wants to make it easier for Indigenous people to cross borders

Immigration Minister Marc Miller says he wants to make it easier for Indigenous people to cross the international borders that have divided their homelands and families for generations.

In an interview with CBC News, Miller said Canada should recognize Indigenous people have an inherent right to move freely across international boundaries.

"That's something that I think we need to fix as a country," Miller said.

"It'll take time. But it is one of my top priorities."

A senior government source said the government is considering both a ministerial directive and amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that would exempt from immigration requirements Indigenous people whose traditional homelands extend beyond Canada's borders
A government source said the federal government is looking to present a solution next year.

Miller's commitment is part of the federal government's roadmap for implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Miller, who was shuffled from the Crown-Indigenous relations portfolio to immigration over the summer, said there's immense institutional resistance within the federal government, but he's determined to get the job done.

"That is encouraging and now we look forward to some action," said Kenneth Deer, a member of the Haudenosaunee External Relations Committee who deals with border crossing issues.
'Frustrating ... demeaning' treatment at the border

Deer, whose traditional Mohawk name is Atsenhaienton, identifies as Haudenosaunee, not Canadian. He's from Kahnawá:ke Mohawk Territory south of Montreal and his people are part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The U.S.-Canada border divides their homeland, which includes parts of Quebec, Ontario and New York State