Call to Action 50 – Revitalizing Indigenous Legal Traditions - Anticipatory Call for Proposals

CTA 50

Indigenous Peoples in Canada have unique laws and legal traditions. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) found that Indian Residential Schools caused the loss of connection for survivors and communities with their languages and cultures, along with their laws. In order for Indigenous laws to meet the needs of Indigenous communities today, those laws must go through a process of revitalization. Call to Action 50 speaks to this:

“In keeping with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal organizations, to fund the establishment of Indigenous law institutes for the development, use, and understanding of Indigenous laws and access to justice in accordance with the unique cultures of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.”

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of supporting the development, use, and understanding of Indigenous laws, and that Indigenous governments and communities have been doing this important work of revitalizing Indigenous legal systems.

Overview

Starting in 2024-2025, through the Call to Action 50 (CTA 50) Funding, the Government of Canada proposes to invest $5.5M over three years to provide opportunities for Indigenous governments, communities, organizations and academic institutions to carry out projects to revitalize Indigenous laws and legal traditions.

Justice Canada is launching an anticipatory call for proposals for project applications that will support initiatives dedicated to advance the development, use and understanding of Indigenous laws .

Funding would be available through the Indigenous Justice Program (IJP), which provides grants and contribution funding to programs and projects in support of the following objectives:

• to assist Indigenous people in assuming greater responsibility for the administration of justice in their communities;
• to reflect and include Indigenous values within the justice system.

Objectives of the Funding

The objective of this call for proposals is to fund projects that help to support the development, use and understanding of Indigenous laws and access to justice in accordance with the unique cultures of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The intention is to fund Indigenous law revitalization projects in all regions of Canada involving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis legal traditions. To further this objective IJP will support projects to:

• research Indigenous laws and traditional or customary practices, including in modern form or as modified over time;
• support the development and/or use of Indigenous laws by Indigenous governments and communities; and
• increase the understanding of Indigenous laws within Indigenous communities and by all Canadians.

Who can apply for this funding?

• Inuit, Métis, First Nations, Bands, Tribal Councils, local, regional and national Indigenous organizations.
• Canadian non-profit community organizations, societies, and associations which have voluntarily associated themselves for a non-profit purpose.*
• Canadian academic institutions (colleges, universities, including faculties of law and Indigenous law institutes).*

Priority will be given to Indigenous-led organizations.

*Indigenous partnerships: The TRC identified Indigenous law institutes as an appropriate vehicle for funding to support the development, use and understanding of Indigenous laws. However, Indigenous laws are held by and within Indigenous communities and the revitalization of Indigenous laws must be led by Indigenous peoples. Applications that are submitted with the support of, or in partnership with, Indigenous communities will be given priority.

Eligible Activities

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

• Elder interviews, oral history projects, Indigenous justice research projects.
• Land-based, Indigenous legal traditions learning.
• Conferences, workshops, and training sessions in relation to Indigenous legal traditions revitalization.
• Indigenous legal traditions curriculum development and delivery.
• Development of codes and laws.
• Pilot projects that test Indigenous legal traditions/models in Indigenous communities, courts or other institutions.
• Community engagement/awareness projects related to Indigenous legal traditions revitalization.
• Education and information projects related to Indigenous legal traditions.

As the purpose of CTA 50 Funding is to assist in the revitalization of Indigenous laws, priority will be given to applications addressing Indigenous laws, rather than Indigenous approaches and responses to existing Canadian law.

Priority will be also given to projects that aim to increase capacity within Indigenous governments and communities to continue to work in this field beyond the specific project.

What is ineligible?

CTA 50 Funding is project-based. It is not intended to fund long-term programs or implementation costs, with the possible exception of pilot projects that may become self-sustaining at the end of the pilot project.

CTA 50 Funding cannot be used for:

• The purchase of land, buildings, vehicles and most capital expenditures;
• project costs incurred before the agreement is approved;
• core operational expenses; or
• duplication of programs or services already funded or delivered by other organizations or government departments.

Length of Project

The length of the project submitted will depend on proposed objectives and activities. Projects are anticipated to commence in winter 2024/25. All projects will be required to end by March 31, 2027 at the latest.

When is the deadline to submit a funding application?

The deadline to submit a funding application is October 18, 2024 at 11:59pm Pacific daylight time.

Key Considerations:

The following key considerations should be applied in developing applications for this funding opportunity, and evidenced in your proposals:

Gender-Based Analysis Plus

Indigenous women, girls, and LGBTQ2I+ people have been subject to high levels of discrimination and violence. When preparing your proposal, please elaborate on how your proposed activities will impact diverse groups of women and men, for example elders, youth and LGBTQ2I+ people. The TRC rejected any use of Indigenous or other laws that fundamentally treat women and men in ways that communicate or create subordination and called upon any such law to be contested without undermining the underlying Indigenous legal systems.

Distinctions Approach and Regionalism

The TRC recognized that every Indigenous nation has its own culturally specific laws. The CTA 50 Funding will seek to ensure that a broad regional representation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples are supported by this investment. When preparing your proposal, please elaborate on which area(s) of law within which Indigenous communities are being supported through your proposal.

Official Languages

In support of section 41 of the Official Languages Act, Justice Canada is committed to facilitating the participation of official language minority communities and their organizations in the development and assessment of Justice’s policies, programs and services having significant impact on the development of the communities; and to taking measures to ensure that Justice’s programs and services reach official language minority communities. In the context of project funding, these measures include:

• Outreach to official language minority communities to enhance their understanding of Justice funding programs; and
• encouraging contacts between organizations that are receiving financial assistance and official language minority organizations/groups to ensure that the needs of these communities are taken into consideration in relation to the proposed projects to be considered for Justice funding.

Applications should describe how the proposed project will consider the needs of English and French linguistic minority communities.

How to Apply for Funding

To request an application form, please contact the Indigenous Justice Program at: ijp-pja@justice.gc.ca

All final applications for funding must be submitted online by October 18, 2024, 11:59 PM PDT.

Once submitted, within 7 calendar days applicants will receive an acknowledgement of the funding application. If you do not receive an acknowledgment email, please contact the Indigenous Justice Program at ijp-pja@justice.gc.ca

Funding Decisions

As funding is limited, all eligible applications may not be approved.

Funding decisions will be communicated by email to the contacts identified in the Application Form. We expect decisions on applications in winter 2024/25.

If your project is approved, you will be contacted for next steps. A funding agreement must be signed with the Department of Justice before project activities can begin. In addition, recipients of funding will be required to seek permission from the Department of Justice prior to any public announcement of the funding.

Additional Information

For any further information and questions while completing the application, IJP staff would be happy to help you and are available by email at: ijp-pja@justice.gc.ca