canada signed the un declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples in 2016.
canada signed the un declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples in 2016.
when did canada sign the un declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples?
2016
in 2016, canada officially adopted and promised to implement the declaration fully. speaking at the un permanent forum on indigenous issues, indigenous and northern affairs canada minister carolyn bennett announced, "we are now a full supporter of the declaration, without qualification. we intend nothing less than to adopt and implement the declaration in accordance with the canadian constitution." bennett described the declaration as "breathing life into section 35 [of the canadian constitution] and recognizing it as a full box of rights for indigenous peoples in canada." in july 2016, kwakwaka’wakw justice minister jody wilson-raybould gave a speech that stated that "adopting the undrip as being canadian law are unworkable", due to its incompatibility with the indian act, the current governing statute.
declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples
friends have traditionally had a concern for the rights of indigenous peoples. in 1974 individual quakers (friends) were led to go to kenora in northern ontario to attempt reconciliation in a confrontation over mercury contamination of the waterways. friends with skills in pathology and medicine assisted the indigenous community, whose people were suffering from mercury poisoning, by helping to document the problem and to provide medical treatment. the quaker committee on native concerns (now quaker indigenous rights committee) was born out of this work and other concerns, especially amongst friends in western canada. since then the committee has supported indigenous community building initiatives, and urged governments to live up to their legal commitments to indigenous peoples including esgenoopetitj (burnt church) in new brunswick, pimicikamak cree nation in northern manitoba and the lubicon in northern alberta. since the mid-1990s, qirc has worked with others at the united nations towards the development and recognition of an international instrument specifically addressing the rights of indigenous rights through the un declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. cfsc is one of the founding members of the coalition for the human rights of indigenous peoples. this group of indigenous and non-indigenous partners work together to inform and educate canadian people and politicians on work related to "the un declaration".
canadian friends service committee