The inherent rights of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininiwug, and Omushkegowug were given by the Creator and are still the basis of the collective and individual identities of First Nations. The 49 First Nations represented by Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN) have consistently asserted these rights, including through Treaties No. 5 and No.9, the 1977 Declaration of Nishnawbe Aski, and the 2016 Nishnawbe Aski Nation Youth Declaration.

First Nation rights have also been recognized and affirmed by Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution Act, 1982. National reports continue to call for the full realization of these rights, including the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP), the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) Calls to Action, and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Calls for Justice.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP or the Declaration) affirms—on both a global and national level—the inherent rights of First Nations and First Nation people(s).