Assembly of First Nations joins calls for Hudson’s Bay to return ceremonial items

WINNIPEG — The Assembly of First Nations is joining calls for Hudson’s Bay to immediately halt the sale of artifacts and return any cultural, ceremonial and sacred items to the Indigenous communities that they belong to.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says some items may represent vital and genuine aspects of cultural heritage and identity.

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An Ontario judge has given Canada’s oldest retailer permission to move forward with an auction of the 4,400 artifacts and art pieces, along with the 355-year-old royal charter that launched the company.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs first requested a stop to any sale without proper consultation with First Nations.

An advocacy group representing some northern First Nations in the province has also joined in, saying its communities were instrumental in the development of the Bay and should have the opportunity to reclaim artifacts.

It’s unclear what artifacts could be included in the auction, and the judge has ordered the Bay to return to court with a detailed list of what items, beyond the charter, it wants to sell.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2025.

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press