Bill C-6

The Oath of Citizenship is currently presented as follows in the schedule to the Citizenship Act: I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen. [...] It constitutes the final legal requirement to becoming a Canadian citizen.3 Bill C-6 is almost identical to Bill C-99, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act, which was introduced on 28 May 2019 in the 42nd Parliament and which died on the Order Paper when Parliament was dissolved on 11 September 2019.4 The only differences between the two are their respective titles and the addition of a preamble to [...] The TRC spent six years hearing more than 6,500 witnesses across Canada to shed light on the legacy of residential schools and to pave the way to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. [...] Others questioned the amendment, concerned that it might create a precedent for other groups wishing to be included in the oath.8 In partnership with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, IRCC also conducted consultations with the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.9 Some concerns were raised in the media about the version of the oat [...] These included questions about the ability of an individual citizen to “faithfully observe … Treaties with Indigenous Peoples,” and criticism that the thousands of Indigenous people belonging to nations that did not sign treaties were not reflected in the oath.10 2 DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS 2.1 PREAMBLE The preamble of Bill C-6 recognizes that the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inui