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National Union releases a Voter’s Guide factsheet on Indigenous Rights.
Ottawa (4 Oct. 2019) — Recent years have seen some positive steps towards recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada, but there is still a very long way to go.
The impacts of colonialism have long been known and felt in Indigenous communities. Two recent initiatives — the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) — have helped to publicly shine a light on the extent of the intergenerational trauma and on the role of the Canadian government. The TRC and MMIWG inquiry have been part of a shift in Canadians’ awareness and understanding of the need for reconciliation, although there continues to be limited government action on protecting Indigenous rights.
Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples falls primarily under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The TRC Calls to Action reflected the fact that the federal government has often failed to provide the funding needed for Indigenous people to receive the services that almost all other Canadians are able to rely on.
Today, we are releasing a Voter’s Guide factsheet on Indigenous Rights. The political parties differ in how much they engage with the need for reconciliation; in the scope of their commitments to ensure the fulfilment of Indigenous rights; and in how they have responded to the specific calls to action that emerged from the TRC and MMIWG inquiries.
The 2019 federal election will play an important role in determining the extent to which Canada makes meaningful progress on reconciliation.
We encourage our members to engage with the Voter’s Guide and the accompanying factsheets to help inform their voting decisions. Lastly, we encourage members to exercise their right to vote!