Way forward
Acknowledging that the content of the 2022 Annual Report did not meet all of our Indigenous partners’ expectations, we are committed to creating a more inclusive and effective process this year. While there is still room for improvement, we are grateful for the permissions received to quote excerpts from the consultation and cooperation process with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis on improving the reporting process and content.
By far the most common concern that we heard from Indigenous partners and federal government departments and agencies was related to the compressed timelines, especially with respect to the validation of the draft action plan. There is an inherent tension between the objectives of significant change towards reconciliation and the desire for it to happen on an expedited basis with the fact that transformative change is hard and can be complex and that resources (human and financial) can be limited.
Meeting the June 2023 deadline for the Action Plan required a significant marshalling of efforts by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, as well the federal government. It necessitated the creation of entirely new mechanisms and ways of doing things. It is worthwhile recalling that the UN Declaration Act received Royal Assent only two years ago. Given the legislative framework embedded in the Act and the scope of this undertaking, it is not surprising that certain processes felt rushed and incomplete. Moving forward, it will be important to endeavour to improve the response time of federal departments to proposals from Indigenous peoples while at the same time more closely aligning Government of Canada timelines with those of Indigenous partners to respect their internal consultation and decision-making/consensus processes.
Indigenous peoples want to see their perspectives and contributions reflected in the Annual Report. In subsequent years, it will be important to continue to validate feedback from Indigenous partners for the annual reports and provide adequate opportunity, resources, and time to accurately reflect Indigenous peoples’ perspectives.
Moving forward, it will be increasingly important for annual reporting to continue to report specifically on measures to ensure the consistency of federal laws with the UN Declaration, including relevant legislative and regulatory changes.
Next steps
As we begin to focus our attention on next steps, we do not underestimate the work ahead of us, especially because the 2024 Annual Report will be the first to account for the implementation of the Action Plan measures.
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners overwhelmingly suggested that the next steps related to implementation of the Action Plan be articulated within short, medium, and long-term timeframes. For example, short-term deliverables could focus on clear communication, education, and understanding of the UN Declaration. Medium-term goals could include increasingly aligning laws with the UN Declaration, addressing systemic racism, and establishing feedback mechanisms with Indigenous peoples. Long-term aspirations could involve equal rights, recognition of Indigenous laws, and addressing data collection and gaps.
“The work that remains to be done is formidable, as the implementation of the Declaration requires a complete paradigm shift within Canadian and Quebec institutions and ongoing consultation, collaboration with Indigenous people who consider the Declaration’s importance.”
Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-utenam
Department of Justice Canada
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