TAKE ACTION Canada: Stop ignoring the rights of Indigenous peoples

Canada: keep the promise

It’s time for Canada to stop ignoring the rights of Indigenous peoples and implement the UN declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

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Urge the government of Canada to keep its promise to fully uphold the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Honourable

David

Lametti

Government of Canada

Dear Minister,

I fully support your government’s commitment to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Implementation of the Declaration in Canadian law and policy - as required by Bill C-262 - would provide a framework for addressing profound injustices toward First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and help prevent such violations in the future. It would also set a positive example for governments around the world.

Unfortunately, your government continues to make decisions that are contrary to the Declaration and other international standards, such as supporting development projects that don’t have the consent of Indigenous peoples or failing to ensure equitable access to basic government services.

I urge the Government of Canada to demonstrate the sincerity of its commitment to upholding the UN Declaration by:

•	Working with Indigenous peoples to develop a concrete and comprehensive national plan of action for its full implementation.

•	Establishing a timetable of regular reporting to Parliament on progress toward implementation.

•	Seeking expert advice independent of government to ensure that Canada’s international human rights obligations are properly understood and fully upheld in any reform of laws and policies.

•	Making a public commitment that, prior to such reform, the government will strive to interpret and apply current law and policies in a manner consistent with the Declaration.

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Stand up for indigenous rights

“The human rights problems faced by indigenous peoples in Canada…have reached crisis proportions.”
- James Anaya, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2008-2014)

Two thirds of First Nations in Canada have had to cope with unsafe drinking water over the past decade, often repeatedly and for long periods of time. The homicide rate for Indigenous women and girls is at least 4.5 times higher than all other women and girls. More than 600 First Nations and Inuit communities are without shelters or emergency housing for women. 58 out of 60 Indigenous languages in Canada are considered “endangered”.

That’s just a sampling of the current situation. "Reconciliation" requires concrete action to address these profound human rights violations, and prevent such violations in the future.

The framework for reconciliation

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission called the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples "the framework for reconciliation." The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made repeated promises to uphold and implement the UN Declaration. His government has even promised to fully support Bill C-262, a private members bill now before Parliament that would require government to work in collaboration with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to bring Canada's laws and policies into line with the minimum standards set out in the Declaration.

While these promises are welcome and important, the unfortunate fact is that the federal government continues to make decisions around issues like resource development that violate the rights protections set out in the UN Declaration.

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