Today, Aluki Kotierk, President, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.; Eva Clayton, President, Nisga'a Nation; and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; announced the release of Canada's Collaborative Modern Treaty Implementation Policy.
This Policy was co-developed with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Modern Treaty partners throughout the summer and fall of 2022. The Policy will support the full, effective, and timely implementation of all current and future Modern Treaties in Canada, with the specific goal of advancing a systemic shift in institutional culture.
The Policy's key principles will guide federal officials in upholding the spirit and intent of Modern Treaties and provide clear direction to deputy heads regarding their responsibilities for overseeing the full, timely, and effective implementation of Modern Treaties. Furthermore, the Policy seeks to motivate change within the federal system at both an individual and systems level. The Policy also includes requirements that legislative, policy, and program design take into account and reflect the unique circumstances of each Modern Treaty partner, and recognize that Modern Treaty partners are a distinct group within distinctions-based approaches.
This represents a significant milestone that will support the transformation of Indigenous-Crown intergovernmental relationships to ensure that Canada is fulfilling its obligations as a Treaty partner, while also implementing the aims and objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
