Executive summary

The report summarizes initial consultations that occurred from September 2024 to March 2025 between Justice Canada and 30 Indigenous partners regarding training and education on the UN Declaration and the UN Declaration Act, focusing on Action Plan Measures SP14 and 18.

Indigenous partners highlighted the need for training to be Indigenous-led, regionally tailored, and inclusive of diverse perspectives, including women and gender-diverse peoples. Partners emphasized foundational knowledge of Indigenous rights, histories, colonialism, and systemic discrimination as prerequisites for understanding why the UN Declaration and the UN Declaration Act is needed in Canada. They recommended integrating Indigenous voices, a Two-Eyed Seeing approach, and intersectional lenses into training. Key improvements recommended include explaining how the UN Declaration came into being and emphasizing/highlighting Indigenous contributions acknowledging Canada’s initial resistance to the UN Declaration and clarifying the legal and human rights foundations of the UN Declaration Act. Training should address the importance of section 5 of the UN Declaration Act in bringing about systemic change, the importance of distinctions-based and intersectional approaches to support more complete consistency assessments and consultation and cooperation processes, the significance of provincial and territorial contexts, and the implementation of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC). Indigenous partners stressed the need for practical examples and case studies, for example, progress on Action Plan Measures, and consultation and cooperation processes that contributed to legislative initiatives. Additional priority training topics identified were treaty education, Indigenous laws and governance, Indigenous cultures and ways of life, and the truth of Indigenous-Crown relations, including colonial histories and intergenerational trauma.

Training design recommendations favored in-person, community-based delivery supplemented by multi-format options such as online modules and emphasized the need for ongoing learning. Indigenous partners recommended mandatory, role-specific Indigenous learning for public servants, including onboarding and senior leadership training, with evaluation mechanisms to assess effectiveness. Indigenous partners advocated for trauma-informed methods, involvement of Elders, and hiring Indigenous educators with diverse expertise.

Regarding SP18, Indigenous partners highlighted the importance of educating non-Indigenous Canadians, including newcomers and youth, using plain language and Indigenous-produced knowledge. They noted existing Indigenous-led educational initiatives and suggested leveraging technology and social media for broader outreach.

The report acknowledges challenges such as limited funding and resources for co-creation and emphasizes the need for sustained respectful relationships with Indigenous partners and organizations. Next steps include updating Justice Canada’s foundational training materials based on feedback and sharing input with relevant federal departments.