Resources
Decolonization
Coming Soon!
Horse-Based Healing and Facilitation
Coming Soon!
Indigenous Rights
Inherent, Ancestral Rights
Prior to the arrival of Europeans in North America, Indigenous peoples were organized as sovereign nations. We had our own cultures, economies, governments and laws. We were generally in exclusive occupation of defined territories, over which we exercised governmental authority (jurisdiction). We also owned the lands and resources within our territories, and so had property rights, subject to responsibilities placed on us by the Creator to care for the land and share it with the plants and animals who also lived there. (Centre for First Nation’s Governance)
Inuit Self-Government
First Nation's Rights and Title
Métis Citizenship and Self-Government
Indigenous Rights - Federal | Provincial | International
Constitutionally Protected Rights
‘Aboriginal rights’ protected by S.35 of the Canadian Constitution
Provincial
The Declaration Act establishes the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PDF, 150KB) (UN Declaration) as the province’s framework for reconciliation, as called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
Federal
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples' Act
This enactment provides that the Government of Canada must take all measures necessary to ensure that the laws of Canada are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and must prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the objectives of the Declaration.
Draft Principles that Guide the Province of British Columbia’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples
Modeled on principles introduced by the federal government in 2017. The province’s principles provide high-level guidance on how provincial representatives engage with Indigenous peoples.
- The right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination and self-government, and the responsibility of government to change operating practices and processes to recognize these rights.
- The standard of conduct that government employees must demonstrate in all dealings with Indigenous peoples.
- The need for treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements, to be based on recognition of inherent rights and respect.
Principles Respecting the Government of Canada’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/csj-sjc/principles-principes.html
International
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP), recognizes and reaffirms the rights of Indigenous peoples to protect their identities, cultures, and lands.[4]
Indigenous Recommendations and Leadership
Place-Based Stewardship
Socio-Economic
Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. The two-volume report calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across the country.
Persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. The two-volume report calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across the country.
Self-Determination and Governance
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action
The TRC Calls to Action address the ongoing impact of residential schools on survivors and their families. They also provide a path for government and Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in British Columbia to create a joint vision of reconciliation.
In 2015, the TRC published its final report detailing the experiences and impacts of the residential school system, creating a historical record of its legacy and consequences.
Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (Canada et al.,1996)
Indigenous-Specific Anti-Racism
Coming Soon!
British Columbia Cultural Safety and Humility Standard
This standard specifies the requirements for governing bodies, organizational leaders, teams, and the workforce from health authorities and health and social services organizations to address Indigenous-specific racism in service delivery and provide culturally safe services to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples and communities in BC.
The standard provides guidance as to the organizational structures and procedures that are required in governance, leadership, and service provision to support anti-racism and cultural safety and humility and ensure the delivery of health and social services that are aligned with Indigenous traditions and values.
The standard provides guidance as to the organizational structures and procedures that are required in governance, leadership, and service provision to support anti-racism and cultural safety and humility and ensure the delivery of health and social services that are aligned with Indigenous traditions and values.
Intergenerational Knowledge Sharing
Coming Soon!
First Nations Principles of OCAP
The First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession – more commonly known as OCAP® – assert that First Nations have control over data collection processes, and that they own and control how this information can be used.
The First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession – more commonly known as OCAP® – assert that First Nations have control over data collection processes, and that they own and control how this information can be used.