HomePerspectivesWhat’s happening with Reconciliation? Indigenous Watchdog Updates as of Oct. 4, 2021
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What’s happening with Reconciliation? Indigenous Watchdog Updates as of Oct. 4, 2021
Calls to Action Status as of Oct. 4, 2021
Not Started
Stalled
In Progress
Complete
11
25
49
9
11.7%
26.6%
52.1%
9.6%
Status Change
The following Calls to Action (C2A)have changed their status since the last update on Sept. 5, 2021.
C2A
Description
Status Change
Why?
58
Papal apology to survivors
From STALLED to IN PROGRESS
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops will work with Holy See to “try” and arrange a visit to Canada
Indigenous Watchdog Updates
The following represents a statistical snapshot of stakeholder actions: federal. provincial, territory and municipal governments, churches, business, associations, organizations etc. All the actions itemized in the following have been integrated into the Indigenous Watchdog website. The curated data from multiple sources delivers some insight into what is happening with reconciliation across the country in each of the 5 Legacy Themes (Child Welfare, Education, Language and Culture, Heath and Justice and the 15 Reconciliation Themes.
Two of the Reconciliation themes, “Equity for Aboriginal People in the Justice System” and “Education for Reconciliation” have been included in the Legacy Education and Justice themes respectively to keep all actions related to Education and Justice in one place.
Section
2020
Mar. 31
June 14
Sept. 5
Oct. 4
2021 Totals
Current Reality
26
5
13
13
4
35
Current Problems
189
55
56
49
11
171
Legacy Calls to Action
96
35
42
39
6
122
Reconciliation Calls to Action
55
5
17
33
6
61
Total
366
100
128
134
27
389
Sneak Peak: A re-designed indigenous Watchdog website will be ready for launch in the fall. This will be part of a significant expansion of content across the entire site: re-organized, optimized, intuitive and searchable to answer your questions easily and effectively. 60+ entirely new sections with additional content now added throughout Indigenous Watchdog with considerably more on the way…
For complete details on each of the content updates, please go the relevant Call to Action Home Page or Call to Action # for full details.
Child Welfare
Home Page – Current Reality
Update to Canadian Human Rights Tribunal
Sept. 29, 2021 – The Federal Court has dismissed Ottawa’s appeals of two human rights tribunal rulings concerning First Nations child welfare compensation and protection Sept. 24, 2021 – The Federal government has launched its third application for judicial review for the federal court to quash an Aug. 26 ruling ordering Canada to fund First Nations child welfare agencies so they can build or buy property, buildings, vehicles and other infrastructure required to deliver services
Home Page – Current Problems in Child Welfare
Update to “Court/Legislative Challenges” – Manitoba clawback of Children’s Special Allowance
Sept. 8, 2021 – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs filed its written submissions in its challenge of the provincial Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment Act absolving itself from any liability and denying First Nations children in care the right to access the courts
Call to Action # 1
Commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care
Update to “Why In Progress?”and “Government Commitments to Child Welfare: Federal”
Sept. 29, 2021 – The Federal Court has dismissed Ottawa’s appeals of two human rights tribunal rulings concerning First Nations child welfare compensation and protection. “Canada remains committed to compensating First Nations children who were removed from their families and communities and to continue implementing significant reform of the First Nation Child and Family Services Program,” Statement from Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller
NEW SECTION: CHRT Non-Compliance and Procedural Orders and Judicial reviews
First Nations Child and Family Caring Society listing of all 20 Non-Compliance and Procedural Orders from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and details on three judicial reviews
Call to Action # 3
Fully Implement Jordan’s Principle
Update to “Why Stalled?”
Sept. 29, 2021 – The Federal Court dismissed Ottawa’s appeals of two human rights tribunal rulings concerning First Nations child welfare compensation and protection. The court also upheld a second decision about to whom Jordan’s Principle applies, after the tribunal ruled that certain non-status children should be covered under the policy
Education
Call to Action # 62
Consultations and collaboration on Indigenous education reform: K-12 curriculum content, post secondary funding
Update to “Mandatory Government K-12 Indigenous Curriculum Development Actions”: Ontario
Sept. 21, 2021 – Ontario government announced a plan to expand mandatory First Nation, Métis and Inuit content and learning in the elementary curriculum
Health
Call to Action # 21
Provide ongoing funding for existing and new Aboriginal Healing Centres
Update to “Investments in Indigenous Healing Centres in Provinces and Territories” Nunavut
Sept. 8, 2021 – The health centre in Kinngait opened at the beginning of August. Sanikiluaq also received a new health centre this year
Health – Suicide Prevention
Update to “Suicide Prevention Initiatives”: New Brunswick– No Child Left Behind
Sept. 14, 2021: NB Government’s “No Child Left Behind” includes 13 calls to action addressing challenges faced by Indigenous children and youth and shortcomings in the provision of mental health services with suicide rates 3 x higher than non-Indigenous youth
Justice
Home Page – Current Problems in Justice
Update to “Systemic Racism in RCMP Policing” – Investigation into shooting deaths in New Brunswick”
Sept. 24, 2021 – The provincial government has appointed Manju Varma as the commissioner on systemic racism to develop an understanding of the nature and impact of systemic racism in New Brunswick. Follows the death of 26-year-old Chantal Moore and Rodney Levi by the police
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Home Page – Current problems with UNDRIP
Update to “Muskrat Falls Mitigation Planand Innu of Labrador lawsuit
Sept.24, 2021 – The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Labrador Innu have requested the Court defer releasing a decision on the injunction application to provide an opportunity for discussions to take place
Royal Proclamation and Covenant of Reconciliation
Home Page – Current problems with Royal Proclamation & Covenant of Reconciliation
Update to “Muskrat Falls Mitigation Planand Innu of Labrador lawsuit
Sept.24, 2021 – The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Labrador Innu have requested the Court defer releasing a decision on the injunction application to provide an opportunity for discussions to take place
National Council for Truth and Reconciliation
Call to Action # 55
Provide annual reports on Progress towards Reconciliation
NEW SECTION: Reconciliation Barometer
Sept. 28, 2021 – A group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous academics will release their first forecast of what reconciliation in Canada is, and where it is headed. “The Reconciliation Barometer“, is designed to strip out the rhetoric and place the undertaking of reconciliation under statistical scrutiny
Church Apologies
Home Page – Current Reality
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops apology and possible papal visit to Canada
Sept. 24, 2021 – In an open letter, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed their “profound remorse” for their participation in the system, which led to the suppression of Indigenous languages and culture. They also pledge to work towards the “possibility” of a papal visit to Canada
Home Page – Current Problem with Church Apologies
Update to “Pope Francis refuses to Apologize”
Sept. 24, 2021 – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops pledges to work with the Holy See on the possibility of a pastoral visit by the Pope to Canada
Update to “Court in Saskatchewan is refusing to release documentation of Catholic Church In-Kind Services
Sept. 29, 2021 – A Globe and Mail analysis of the documents found that nearly half of the 192 log entries list “community work and presence” by a pastor or religious sister, normal pastoral work not necessarily tied to any Indigenous In-kind services
Call to Action # 58
Apology from the pope to Catholic Church residential school survivors
Update to Why in Progress?”
Sept. 24, 2021 – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in an open letter pledged to work with the Holy See on the possibility of a pastoral visit by the Pope to Canada
NEW SECTION: Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops Open Letter “Apology”
Sept. 24, 2021 – In an open letter, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed their “profound remorse” for their participation in the system, which led to the suppression of Indigenous languages and culture. They also pledge to work towards the “possibility” of a papal visit to Canada
Missing Children and Burial Information
Home Page – Current Problems in Missing Children and Burial Information
Update to “Cowassess First Nation discovers 715 unmarked graves“
Sept. 30, 2021 – Chief Cadmus Delorme said the First Nation has since identified about 300 of the 715 unmarked graves, including possible parishioners and members of surrounding communities
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Home Page – Current Reality
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation unveils a “Survivors’ Flag” to mark the first official National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
Sept. 23, 2021 – This commemorative flag was created by Survivors to share their expression of remembrance with the broader public and to honour all residential school Survivors, families, and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada
Home Page – Current Problems with Commemoration
Prime Minister Trudeaus’ vacation on the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Sept. 30, 2021 – PM Trudeau ignored his commitment – and the Liberal party’s – to honour the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by choosing to take a vacation to Tofino in BC
Commemoration
Call to Action # 80
Establish a statutory holiday “National Day for Truth and Reconciliation”
Updates to Provinces supporting Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation” as a statutory holiday
Sept. 9, 2021 – Bill C-5, sponsored by PEI Senator Brian Francis, designates Sept. 30 as the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation that will be a statutory holiday Sept. 9, 2021 – Newfoundland and Labrador will observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2021. As part of next steps, government will review how this day for reflection will be adopted by the public service next year, as well as province-wide. Sept. 16, 2021 – Sept. 30 to be recognized as a statutory holiday throughout Nunavut in 2022. Need to amend Nunavut’s Public Service Act, Legislation Act and Labour Standards Act
Call to Action # 82
Commission and install a Residential School monument in each capital city
Calgary announces plans to build a Residential School monument. Edmonton has already announced their own plans to erect a monument
Aug. 26, 2021 – Plans are underway to create a permanent memorial for victims of Canada’s residential schools to replace a fire-damaged one that includes hundreds of children’s shoes on the steps of Calgary City Hall
Business and Reconciliation
Home Page – Current Problems with Business and Reconciliation
“Bill 55 – An Act to Amend the Property Assessment and Taxation Act” makes Inuit accountable for property taxes on mining developments
Sept. 17, 2021 – The Bill makes Inuit Organizations liable for unpaid property taxes if a mining company becomes insolvent or fails to pay. That will enable the GN to collect property taxes from Inuit Organizations including by seizing Inuit funds or selling off assets
Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) fails to honour a revenue sharing agreement made 13 years ago with a consortium of 132 Ontario First Nations.
Sept. 29, 2021 – While privatizing the operations of casinos in the province, the OLG unilaterally agreed to allow private operators to keep all non-gambling revenue and did not inform its First Nations partners about the changes
Update to “Individual Business Issues” – Antiquated royalty payments to First Nations in Yukon Mining Acts
Sept. 15, 2021 – In collaboration with Yukon First Nations, the Government of Yukon is developing new mining legislation that will improve the management of the Yukon’s mineral resources in a way that respects First Nations’ relationships with the land and supports a modern and sustainable mining industry
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