In my research about how Indigenous people identify as Indigenous, many times I have read that it has often been external. That the Canadian government has mostly identified who was Indigenous. In my research, I did come across stats Canada who gets their definition from the UN. This made me think that again, another external part or group is deciding for Indigenous people who can or cannot be Indigenous and how to identify. This definition is also very broad to include that Indigenous people are those “who identify as First Nations (North American Indian), Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), and/or those who report being Registered or Treaty Indians (that is, registered under the Indian Act of Canada), and/or those who have membership in a First Nation or Indian band” (Government of Canada, 2021). This definition only uses Western language and does not do justice to the complexity of Indigenous identities.
https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3Var.pl?Function=DEC&Id=42927