Canada, individual Canadians and Indigenous representatives from Canada all played pivotal roles in developing international ABS policy and governance instruments. As a result, the Nagoya Protocol clearly reflects the participation of Indigenous negotiators and embodies a significant number of operative provisions of direct and meaningful relevance to Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the globe. While recent years witnessed an apparent hiatus of work on ABS within the Canadian government, efforts in policy and position development, together with consultations by federal, provincial and territorial governments made over the preceding decade represent a firm foundation for advancing ABS governance in Canada, now. The context for ABS in Canada has changed dramatically in recent years. Canada dropped its objections to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples (UNDRIP) and the country is now seized with moving forward on reconciliation. ABS is at the confluence of the two powerful streams of the rights of Indigenous peoples and reconciliation. Implementing the Protocol will support UNDRIP and reconciliation. It is time to seize the opportunities inherent in ABS through the exercise of leadership at all levels – beginning with the Prime Minister of Canada and Indigenous peoples.