Bridging the Gap Between Status and Band Membership

As our Nation continues to grow, one of the most important challenges we must confront is the gap between Indian Status and Band Membership. This divide—created through federal legislation and historical policy—has left some of our own Siksika members without access to the same rights and benefits as others, even though they share our lineage, our history, and our belonging.

The Indian Act defines who is recognized as a “Status Indian,” which determines eligibility for certain federal programs and treaty-based benefits. Yet, our Siksika Membership Code defines who is a member of our Nation—those who belong to our people through blood, kinship, and community. These two systems do not always align, and as a result, some of our members are caught in an administrative gap that denies them full access to the supports and benefits they rightfully deserve.

As a Nation, we must take steps to close this gap. Our Band Membership should not be a lesser form of recognition—it should be the highest form of belonging. Whether or not a member holds Indian Status under federal law, they remain Siksika, and we have a collective responsibility to ensure that every member has comparable access to benefits, services, and opportunities.

We can begin addressing this by:

• Creating a Band Member Equity Policy, ensuring that non-status members receive comparable assistance for education, health, and family supports where possible.

• Using our own-source revenues and settlement interest to fill the funding gaps where federal programs fall short.

• Advocating with Canada to recognize the rights of all Siksika members as treaty people, not just those who meet the Indian Act’s definitions.

• Updating our Membership Code and internal policies to reflect a Siksika-defined understanding of citizenship—rooted in kinship, community, and culture rather than bureaucracy.

By addressing this inequality, we honour our ancestors and uphold the spirit of our Treaty—not as written by others, but as understood by our people. Every Siksika member, regardless of status, deserves to be treated with dignity and fairness, and to share equally in the prosperity and protection that comes from belonging to our Nation.

It is time for us to take ownership of this conversation, and to build solutions that reflect who we are—a sovereign Nation, united by family, culture, and responsibility to one another.