Mixed media sculpture of a parent tying the shoes of a young child. (2019.2.41)

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) represents another key political milestone for Indigenous Peoples worldwide.

The product of nearly 25 years of deliberation at the United Nations, the international instrument was supported by Canada in 2016, nine years after its introduction. It was passed by parliament in 2018 and by Senate in 2021. It recognizes the experiences of Indigenous Peoples with colonialism across the globe, aiming to get minimum standards for the autonomy, health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples. It articulates the need to repudiate doctrines, policies and practices, such as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius, that advocate for the "superiority of peoples or individuals on the basis of national origin or racial, religious, ethnic or cultural differences" as "racist, scientifically false, legally invalid, morally condemnable and socially unjust." (UNDRIP resolution) UNDRIP urges an address of the colonial legacy so that Indigenous Peoples might reassert basic human rights. These include the inherent right to self-determination; freedom from discrimination; free, prior and informed consent; redress; and linguistic, cultural, spiritual and economic rights. The TRC recommended that federal and provincial governments utilize UNDRIP as a framework for reconciliation, noting that reconciliation encompasses all areas of Canadian life, including education.