Ottawa, June 29, 2023
Justice Canada releases UNDRIP Action Plan
On June 21st, 2023, Indigenous Peoples Day, Justice Canada released the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) Act Action Plan. The plan was created following a lengthy and extensive consultation process with Indigenous peoples and features a numbered list of priorities for departments of the federal government.
Relating to heritage, there are number of shared priorities that have been assigned to the Department of Canadian Heritage. Those include:
4. Co-develop a comprehensive approach to combat anti-Indigenous racism in support of Canada’s new Anti-Racism Strategy. (Canadian Heritage)
5. Provide program funding to support community-based initiatives to combat anti-Indigenous racism. (Canadian Heritage)
18. Develop and distribute, in collaboration with Indigenous educational organizations, museums and other organizations, as appropriate, educational materials to inform non-Indigenous Canadians on the UN Declaration and the human rights of Indigenous peoples. (Justice Canada and various departments)
73. Centralize review of policy and program documents to ensure UN Declaration Act engagement principles with Indigenous peoples are respected and maintained. (Canadian Heritage)
92. Continue establishing measures to facilitate the provision of adequate, sustainable and long-term funding for the reclamation, revitalization, maintenance and strengthening of Indigenous languages through ongoing implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act. (Canadian Heritage)
94. Establish a process to engage Indigenous peoples on go-forward UN Declaration-related interests relevant to arts, culture, commemorations and heritage. (Canadian Heritage)
98. Co-develop with First Nations, Inuit Treaty Organizations or their designates, and the Métis a distinction-based comprehensive approach, which will include legislative, programming and/or service measures, to enable the repatriation/rematriation of Indigenous cultural belongings and ancestral remains. (Canadian Heritage)
101. Work in consultation and cooperation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to ensure appropriate measures are in place for Indigenous peoples to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, including working in partnership with responsible government departments to ensure that Canada’s intellectual property legislative and regulatory frameworks (e.g., Copyright Act, Trademarks Act, Patent Act) are consistent with the UN Declaration. (Canadian Heritage, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada)
The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) finds these recommendations in keeping with the findings of the Moved to Action report and is very pleased to see Indigenous self-determination being prioritized in this document. The CMA intends to connect with our partners at Heritage and determine how museums can best support these goals.
Further reading:
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan
Disponible en français.