United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Canada)

On June 21, 2023, exactly two years after the act came into force, the Action Plan was released and available on the Government of Canada's website. The draft plan received a "chilly reception" at a meeting of the Assembly of First Nations. == History ==

Canada and the declaration Canada led efforts to weaken the draft declaration in 2002 and 2003, alongside Australia, New Zealand and the United States, though this was only revealed in 2024. The UN resolution was passed in 2007. Four countries voted against the resolution: Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Twelve countries voted against and 143 countries voted in favour of the resolution. In November 2010, the Conservative government publicly reversed its position, asserting its support for the declaration as an "aspirational document". In May 2016, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett officially removed Canada's objector status to UNDRIP at the United Nations. Roméo Saganash's failed Bill C-262 Bill C-262 was introduced on April 21, 2016 as a private member's bill by NDP MP Roméo Saganash to implement the UN's resolution. Although Prime Minister Trudeau had campaigned in 2015 on the promise to implement the declaration, the Liberal government was not initially supportive, publicly declaring its implementation into Canadian law as "unworkable." In November 2016, however, the government reversed this position, endorsing Bill-262. Maclean's referred to Saganash as the declaration's first "parliamentary champion". Bill C-15 In December 2019, the Liberal Party of Canada's throne speech following the 2019 federal election promised to implement UNDRIP within a year of its new mandate. The tabling of the bill was postponed in early 2020 due to the rail blockade crisis. On December 3, 2020, Minister of Justice David Lametti introduced the bill to the House of Commons where it passed its first reading. On February 17, 2021 Minister of Justice David Lametti moved that the bill be read the second time at the House of Commons and referred to parliamentary committee. By April 19, the house voted in favour of a second reading and be referred to committee. On March 9, 2021 an open letter by the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) in support of the bill was published in The Hill Times, urging its passage into law before parliament's session concludes. On March 11, 2021 the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) held its first meeting on the bill. Witnesses included former NDP MP Romeo Saganash, the author of the bill's predecessor, C-262. On April 26, 2021 the INAN produced its committee report studying the bill with amendments. The adjustments included references to systemic racism, that doctrines of discovery and terra nullius are racist, and shortened the time limit for the action plan from three years to two. The senate passed the bill's third reading on June 16, 2021 without any amendment and received Royal Assent on June 21. == Provisions ==

The bill is the "first step" in aligning Canadian law with the declaration. ==Reception==

Praise The bill was heavily praised by the Cree Nation government, who described it as key to reconciliation. The bill was supported by other First Nation governments across Canada. Criticism The bill was significantly criticized by several First Nation governments in Alberta, as well as conservative governments across Canada. This caused concern from various groups, including politicians and Indigenous leaders. Without a clear definition, some feared it would allow individuals to veto developments that are in the national interest and others feared that without a veto it is not true consent. The bill was criticized by Wendy Lynn Lerat, who taught Indigenous Studies at First Nations University of Canada, in an opinion piece for CBC, describing it as "smoke and mirrors" for decolonisation. Idle No More, an Indigenous rights organization, along with two other Indigenous groups rejected the bill C-15 outright, asserting it is an attack on Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination. Russ Diabo, a former advisor to two national chiefs at the Assembly of First Nations, described the bill as, "the Prime Minister [...] attempting his own version of the White Paper". == Further developments ==

The Royal Bank of Canada was the world's leading "fossil fuel funder" in 2022. Proposals to set absolute emissions targets for 2030, restrict financing for projects relating to fossil fuel expansion and align with the declaration were rejected by shareholders in 2023. Senator Lidia Thorpe introduced a private member's bill with similar provisions to the Canadian UNDRIP Act. ==See also==