Inuit Tapirit Kanatami released “Submission To The House Of Commons Standing Committee On Indigenous And Northern Affairs On Bill C-15”. In order to remedy identified shortcomings, a bill whose purpose is to implement the UN Declaration in Canada should include the following legislative elements:
- Legislation should establish an Indigenous Human Rights Commission and/or independent oversight body whose activities are supported through adequate, sustainable and long-term financing. The Commission and/or body should be responsible for monitoring federal compliance with the rights affirmed by the UN Declaration and oversee the promotion of those rights nationally.
- The Commission and/or oversight body should be established consistent with the
UN Paris Principles, which provide the international benchmarks against which national human rights institutions can be accredited by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. The UN Paris Principles set out criteria in relation to autonomy from government, independence, adequate powers of investigations, resourcing, pluralism, and mandate and competence. - The Commission and/or oversight body should be empowered to conduct investigations of federal departments and institutions, and send discrimination-related complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for further examination.
- Legislation should include provisions that provide for the adequate, sustainable and long-term financing of the obligations identified in the bill.