Canadian Statements
Statement by Fred Caron, Assistant Deputy Minister for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Ninth Sessionon Agenda Item 3: Discussion of the Special Theme "Indigenous Peoples, Development with Culture and Identity : Articles 3 and 32 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples"
NEW YORK, April 20, 2010
Mr. Chairperson,
The Government of Canada is pleased to continue our long and consistent practice of participation, contribution and support to the work of the Permanent Forum.
Canada is supportive of all of the mechanisms of the United Nations engaged on Indigenous issues. It has been our practice to provide extensive information to the Permanent Forum, Special Procedures, including the Special Rapporteur on human rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous peoples, treaty-monitoring bodies and other institutions on Canada’s approaches, successes and challenges on Indigenous issues. Canada will continue to do so.
Canada has taken and will continue to take effective action, at home and abroad, to promote and protect the rights of Indigenous peoples.
In this vein, on March 3, 2010, the Government of Canada announced that it will take steps to endorse the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in a manner fully consistent with Canada’s Constitution and laws. Canada will take steps towards endorsing this aspirational document in a timely manner.
This year’s theme of the Permanent Forum, (Indigenous peoples: development with culture and identity: Articles 3 and 32 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) is expansive, encompassing every aspect of development and all perspectives. The theme provides room for exploration and expression of a diversity of views on development which, in the case of Canada, allows for appropriate reflection of the diverse cultures, circumstances, needs, experiences and aspirations of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, as well as the objectives of governments and the views of all Canadians.
The Government of Canada acknowledges the efforts of the Permanent Forum to explore and deepen understanding of the concept of development with culture and identity, including through research and the organization of an Expert Group Meeting on the subject in January of this year. Representatives of Canada attended that meeting. It is hoped that dialogue at this session of the Forum will carry forward that process of exploration and understanding in useful, balanced and constructive ways that will lead to practical application in the real world.
During this ninth session of the Permanent Forum, Canada will share information on several aspects of its approach to Indigenous peoples’ development with culture and identity through statements and through side events on the Government of Canada’s Consultation and Accommodation process, Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development and on urban Aboriginal issues. The Government of Canada also looks forward to participating in the half-day regional dialogue on April 22nd, which focuses this year on North America, a region unique in many ways notably because, in the context of the Permanent Forum, it contains only two states - Canada and the United States of America - with a broad diversity of distinct Aboriginal peoples.
Mr. Chairperson, development should be a positive force for all. In examining development and its impact on and relationship to Indigenous peoples, there is ample evidence that, all too often, development has proceeded as a result of policies and programs that have had negative effects on Indigenous peoples’ lives and livelihoods and have contributed to a host of social problems and conflict. We know, historically, this has far too often been the case in Canada and the Government is committed to taking steps, progressively together with Aboriginal communities, to ensure a better today and future.
Education is key to success and prosperity in today’s knowledge-based economy. In Canada and around the world, improved efforts are needed to raise the educational attainment of Indigenous people and to include Indigenous culture in education programs. The Government of Canada is committed to working with Aboriginal peoples and provinces and territories to ensure that Aboriginal children receive the education they require for success. We need to continue to work with willing partners across the country to deliver better outcomes in education. Recent progress includes tripartite agreements with provincial governments and First Nations in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Alberta to improve education outcomes for First Nations students in band-operated and provincial schools, and the signing of an Inuit Education Accord and the establishment of a National Committee on Inuit Education.
One fundamental principle of development with culture and identity must also be the elimination of discrimination. On March 11, 2010 The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians introduced in the House of Commons Bill C-3, Gender Equity in Indian Registration Act. This legislation is intended to address longstanding gender discrimination related to Indian registration, ensuring that eligible grand-children of women who lost status as a result of marrying non-Indian men will become entitled to registration (Indian status) in accordance with the Indian Act.
The Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development also announced that broader issues related to the question of registration and membership, and important treaty realities and cultural perspectives that must be taken into account, would be explored through a joint process to be developed in conjunction with various national Aboriginal organizations and the participation of First Nations groups and individuals across the country.
In Canada, we have learned that it is essential to include cultural approaches to health and healing in program design, while enhancing access to mainstream services. Indigenous communities that have successfully addressed significant health issues tend to share two common characteristics: a focus on cultural approaches to health; and, a focus on traditional roles and shared responsibilities with respect to collective and community health. Health Canada is undertaking activities that are designed to support Indigenous communities to address the health impacts of economic development and strengthen cultural aspects of health delivery.
As reported during last year’s Permanent Forum, on January 27, 2009, the Government of Canada released its Economic Action Plan in response to the deteriorating global economic situation. In recognition that traditionally vulnerable groups are often those who are most affected by recession and unemployment, and following consultations with provincial/territorial government leaders and Aboriginal leaders, Canada’s Economic Action Plan committed $1.4 billion in investments over two years related to Aboriginal-specific programming. The aim is to promote greater participation by Aboriginal men and women in the Canadian economy and to address the specific challenges and opportunities they face.
In early March, Canada, in the Speech from the Throne, reaffirmed its support for initiatives targeted to Aboriginal peoples. This was reflected in the subsequent Budget which, in some cases, increased support under Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
Key areas of commitment include to ensure that First Nations children receive the education at all levels that they require for success; to address the number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women through concrete actions in law enforcement and in the justice system; to enhance capital assets and infrastructure in First Nations communities; to develop partnerships with First Nation organizations and provincial and territorial governments for the delivery of child and family services; to support continued implementation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement; to improve Aboriginal health outcomes and to extend the First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan to improve access to safe drinking water on reserve.
While this review has covered some key Government of Canada initiatives on development with culture and identity, this is only one element of this equation. These initiatives are undertaken with the Indigenous peoples in Canada to whom they are directed. We look forward to hearing the perspectives of Indigenous representatives during this Forum on ways to move forward on the challenging and fundamental issue of development with culture and identity.
Thank you.
