Introduction to the UN Declaration Act

Several Indigenous partners emphasized the importance of public servants understanding Canada’s experience of colonialism and the systemic nature of discrimination experienced by Indigenous peoples to be able to appreciate the baseline commitments made by the government in the UN Declaration Act. To this end, several Indigenous partners recommended training address the preamble of the UN Declaration Act, that contains several significant concepts including the government’s commitment to combat colonialism and systemic racism, and to rebuild self-determination. As some Indigenous partners noted, it is critical to emphasize that these are not aspirational goals but rather commitments meeting foundational human rights obligations.

When talking about whole of government responsibility to implement the UN Declaration Act, an Indigenous partner suggested a tie be made to the training objectives. Others stated there needs to be a stronger acknowledgement that this work is not just for CIRNAC and Indigenous Services Canada and that all departments and agencies have responsibility to Indigenous peoples and to implement the UN Declaration Act.

When outlining roles and responsibilities of various government units for the UN Declaration Act, a few Indigenous partners recommended encouraging public servants to reach out to Indigenous partners for information when implementing the Act, especially those who helped draft the Action Plan, including national organizations. Some noted it is also important to recognize the capacity constraints many Indigenous governments and communities face. Engagement approaches should ensure that the expectations are realistic, resourced, and respectful of partners’ time and priorities.