SPECIAL REPORT

The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada: Lessons from B.C.

In November 2019, the province of British Columbia passed the first law in Canada aimed at implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

This Special Report – with contributions from six primarily Indigenous authors – considers the promise of that legislation but also some of the challenges that have emerged, specifically around implementation. Taken together, this resulting report offers both caution and insight for communities working towards realizing the Declaration in Canada.

KEY QUESTION

What opportunities does UNDRIP present for Indigenous communities seeking justice?

RELATED RESOURCES

FACTSHEET

Manufacturing Free, Prior and Informed Consent: A Brief History of Canada vs. UNDRIP

This timeline chronicles the changes in Canada’s position (or not) on UNDRIP and specifically free, prior and informed consent over the years.

While it may be some time before UNDRIP is realized in this country legally, the legislation in B.C. and in Canada is a helpful tool for Indigenous communities to hold governments accountable politically. In an atmosphere where justice is seemingly and perhaps ironically only won by Indigenous communities through conflict in the public square, in the courts, and on the ground, the Declaration offers an opportunity.

- Hayden King