Overall, Indigenous groups and organizations continue to be perceived positively, and approval of the federal and provincial governments’ management of Indigenous issues is at its highest point since 2008.
Positive Impressions Remain Stable
Overall, impressions of Indigenous groups and organizations are positive and unchanged from 2024. Forty-three percent view Indigenous peoples favourably, while 19% are negative and 38% are neutral or unsure.
There are notable regional and partisan differences, however. Positive impressions are lowest in the Prairies, where only 26% express a favourable view. Political affiliation also plays a key role: Conservative and non-partisan Canadians are least likely to report a positive impression—roughly 3-in-10—while Liberal and NDP partisans are nearly twice as likely to express a positive view, at 6-in-10.
Conflicted Views on Rights
A majority (54%) of Canadians now agree Indigenous peoples should have distinct rights to protect their culture and heritage, with net agreement up 6 points since last year. At the same time, however, an even larger share (69%) say they should have the same rights as other Canadians. Many Canadians are conflicted and hold both views, a tension between two conceptions of fairness, but those who firmly favour equal treatment outnumber those favouring distinct Indigenous rights.
Government Ratings Improve but Stay Negative
Net approval of federal and provincial government handling of Indigenous issues is at its highest since 2008, despite still being slightly negative (-4% each). The main trend that explains this improvement is a decline in the share of Canadians who disapprove the governments’ performance. Yet, as many as 1-in-3 Canadians are neutral when asked their opinion.
However, federal government approval varies across partisan affiliations. Federal approval is highest among Liberals (44%), while Conservatives (15%) and non-partisans (12%) are less supportive. There are also significant regional differences in provincial governments’ approval. Provincial approval is highest in the Prairies (37%) and is lowest in Quebec and Alberta (around 20%).
Land Rights Top Indigenous Concerns
Exposure to Indigenous issues and topics remains low, with only 19% of Canadians reporting that they’ve recently seen, read, or heard anything about Indigenous peoples. Among those who are paying attention, land rights and Alberta separatism are the most commonly mentioned topics.
For Canadians overall, land rights stand out as the most important Indigenous issue (14%), followed by access to clean water (9%). However, Indigenous issues continue to rank among the lowest national priorities.
