Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution, added in 1982, protects the rights of First Nations, Métis and Inuit People, including the ability to hunt, fish, and have treaties respected. These rights were not awarded by the Canadian government — Indigenous peoples have had them since time immemorial — but the Constitution Act ensured that they couldn’t be taken away. This recognition was the output of years of Indigenous-led activism, including the 1980 Constitution Express. In contemporary times, Section 35 is used in court cases to protect Indigenous rights.