Proposed gun-control legislation continues to be front and centre.

Chiefs at the Assembly of First Nations have voted to publicly oppose the Liberal government’s proposed legislation.

An amendment to Bill C-21, which is currently being debated by members of Parliament, aims to create an evergreen definition for “assault-style” weapons and enshrine it in law, allowing the government to ban hundreds of models of firearms.

Some First Nations leaders say they’re concerned to see rifles used for hunting on the list and voted to take a stand against the bill, which they say infringes on their treaty rights.

Chief Dylan Whiteduck says these guns are a “tool,” not a weapon.

The AFN had previously raised concerns about the legislation’s potential effects on hunting rights at a meeting of the House of Commons committee that is studying the bill.

On Thursday, chiefs carried an emergency resolution that was brought to the floor with unanimous support at their special assembly.

It called on the AFN to push the government to make changes to the bill, including ensuring that long guns used by First Nations hunters do not fall under the ban, and improve consultations with affected groups.

—With files from Mike Ebbeling