This enactment amends section 207 the Criminal Code to provide that the governing body of a First Nation has exclusive authority to conduct and manage a lottery scheme on its reserve and to license the conduct and management of a lottery scheme by other persons and entities on its reserve, if the governing body of the First Nation has provided notice to the Government of Canada and the government of any province in which the reserve is located of its intention to exercise that authority.

This enactment also amends the Indian Act to grant the council of the band authority to make by-laws for the purposes of regulating the operation, conduct and management of lottery schemes permitted on the band’s reserve under section 207 of the Criminal Code.

Preamble

Whereas Parliament recognizes the Inherent and Treaty rights of Indigenous peoples, including their rights to their lands, to self-determination and of self-government;

Whereas these Inherent and Treaty rights encompass the right of Indigenous peoples to regulate activities such as gaming, betting and lotteries on their lands;

Whereas the Government of Canada is committed to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which emphasizes the urgent need to respect and promote the Inherent and Treaty rights of Indigenous peoples of the world;

And whereas the protection of Aboriginal and Treaty rights — recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 — is an underlying principle and value of the Constitution of Canada;

His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

Permitted lotteries

207 (1) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Part relating to gaming and betting Insertion start and subject to subsection (2.‍2) Insertion end , it is lawful

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  (a.‍1) for a governing body of a First Nation or such other person or authority as may be specified by the governing body, either alone or in conjunction with the governing body of another First Nation or such other person or authority as may be specified by the other governing body, to conduct and manage a lottery scheme on that First Nation’s reserve, or on that First Nation’s reserve and the other First Nation’s reserve, in accordance with any law or by-law enacted by the governing body of that First Nation;

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  (b.‍1) for a charitable or religious organization, pursuant to a licence issued by the governing body of a First Nation or by such other person or authority as may be specified by the governing body, to conduct and manage a lottery scheme on that First Nation’s reserve if the proceeds from the lottery scheme are used for a charitable or religious object or purpose;

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  (c.‍1) for the board of a fair or of an exhibition, or an operator of a concession leased by that board, to conduct and manage a lottery scheme on a First Nation’s reserve if the governing body of that First Nation or such other person or authority as may be specified by the governing body has

  • (i) designated that fair or exhibition as a fair or exhibition where a lottery scheme may be conducted and managed, and

  • (ii) issued a licence for the conduct and management of a lottery scheme to that board or operator;

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  (d.‍1) for any person, pursuant to a licence issued by the governing body of a First Nation or by such other person or authority as may be specified by the governing body, to conduct and manage a lottery scheme at a public place of amusement on that First Nation’s reserve if

  • (i) the amount or value of each prize awarded does not exceed five hundred dollars, and

  • (ii) the money or other valuable consideration paid to secure a chance to win a prize does not exceed two dollars;

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• (e) for the government of a province to agree with the government of another province Insertion start or the governing body of a First Nation Insertion end that lots, cards or tickets in relation to a lottery scheme that is by any of paragraphs (a) to Insertion start (d.‍1) Insertion end authorized to be conducted and managed in that other province Insertion start or on that First Nation’s reserve Insertion end may be sold in the province;

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  (e.‍1) for the governing body of a First Nation to agree with the government of a province or the governing body of another First Nation that lots, cards or tickets in relation to a lottery scheme that is by any of paragraphs (a) to (d.‍1) authorized to be conducted and managed in the province or on that other First Nation’s reserve may be sold on the First Nation’s reserve;

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• (f) for any person, pursuant to a licence issued by the Lieutenant Governor in Council of a province or such other person or authority in the province as may be designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council thereof, to conduct and manage in the province a lottery scheme that is authorized to be conducted and managed in one or more other provinces Insertion start or on one or more First Nations’ reserves if Insertion end the authority by which the lottery scheme was first authorized to be conducted and managed consents thereto;

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  (f.‍1) for any person, pursuant to a licence issued by the governing body of a First Nation or such other person or authority as may be specified by the governing body, to conduct and manage on the First Nation’s reserve a lottery scheme that is authorized to be conducted and managed in one or more provinces or on one or more other First Nations’ reserves if the authority by which the lottery scheme was first authorized to be conducted and managed consents thereto;

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• (g) for any person, for the purpose of a lottery scheme that is lawful in a province Insertion start or on a First Nation’s reserve Insertion end under any of paragraphs (a) to Insertion start (f.‍1) Insertion end , to do anything in the province Insertion start or on the First Nation’s reserve Insertion end , in accordance with the applicable law Insertion start , by-law Insertion end or licence, that is required for the conduct, management or operation of the lottery scheme or for the person to participate in the scheme; and

Terms and conditions of licence issued by governing body of a First Nation

(2.‍1) Subject to this Act, a licence issued by or under the authority of the governing body of a First Nation or a person or authority specified by the governing body as described in paragraph (1)‍(b.‍1), (c.‍1), (d.‍1) or (f.‍1) may contain such terms and conditions relating to the conduct, management and operation of or participation in the lottery scheme to which the licence relates as the governing body, the person or authority designated by the governing body, or any law or by-law enacted by the governing body may prescribe.

Notice of intention to exercise authority of First Nation

(2.‍2) If a First Nation intends to exercise its authority to conduct and manage a lottery scheme or to license the conduct and management of a lottery scheme recognized under this section, the governing body shall, before exercising that authority, provide written notice to the Government of Canada and the government of each province in which the First Nation’s reserve is located of the date on which it will begin exercising the authority.

Deeming provision

(4.‍001) For the purpose of this section, a First Nation’s reserve or a part of a First Nation’s reserve within a province is deemed not to be a part of the province as of the date set out in any notice provided under subsection (2.‍2).

Definitions

(4.‍002) In this section,

band has the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the Indian Act; (bande)

council of the band has the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the Indian Act; (conseil de la bande)

First Nation means a band or an Indigenous group that is a party to a self-government agreement implemented by an Act of Parliament; (première nation)

governing body, in relation to a First Nation that is a band, means the council of the band, or, in relation to a First Nation that is an Indigenous group that is party to a self-government agreement implemented by an Act of Parliament, means the council, government or other entity that is referred to in the agreement as being authorized to act on behalf of the Indigenous group; (corps dirigeant)

reserve, in relation to a First Nation that is a band, means a reserve within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the Indian Act that is set apart for the use and benefit of the band, or, in relation to a First Nation that is an Indigenous group that is a party to a self-government agreement implemented by an Act of Parliament, means land that is subject to the self-government agreement. (réserve)

Exception — charitable or religious organization

(4.‍1) The use of a computer for the sale of a ticket, selection of a winner or the distribution of a prize in a raffle, including a 50/50 draw, is excluded from paragraph (4)‍(c) in so far as the raffle is authorized under paragraph (1)‍(b) Insertion start or (b.‍1) Insertion end and the proceeds are used for a charitable or religious object or purpose.

• (m.‍1) the regulation of the operation, conduct and management of lottery schemes permitted on the reserve under section 207 of the Criminal Code;