There has been a surge in anti-Indigenous sentiments and politics in Canada, seen most recently in a rancorous race to lead the British Columbia Conservative Party, as well as in provincial protests denying the harms of the residential school system.

According to the messaging at the B.C. leadership race, repealing the province’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) will enshrine private property, revive the forestry industry and restore democracy.

These debates are not exclusive to Canadian conservatives. The B.C. NDP has also been locked in internal debates regarding DRIPA, and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals have faced recurring scrutiny over whether accelerated infrastructure projects will address their constitutional duty to consult First Nations.

Read more: Mark Carney wants to make Canada an energy superpower — but what will be sacrificed for that goal?

The scene in New Zealand

When these issues are covered in the Canadian media, the backlash is usually attributed to something specifically local, like a controversial court case. But our research with partners in New Zealand and Argentina shows that these Canadian attacks on Indigenous rights are part of a clear international trend that’s known as recolonization.

New Zealand’s right-wing coalition government has prioritized the acceleration of major infrastructure projects through the implementation of the 2024 Fast-track Approvals Act. The legislation allows........

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