COW - Collaboration and Engagements - June 10, 2021

Key messages

• The Government consulted with the national Indigenous organizations on amendments to the Oath of Citizenship, and conducted focus testing with the general public across Canada.
• Specifically, my department engaged the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council, all of which have a broad mandate to represent many Indigenous peoples in Canada. It also engaged members of the Land Claims Agreement Coalition, an organization that represents Inuit, Métis, and First Nations modern treaty organizations, and governments in Canada.
• The national Indigenous organizations all indicated that a change to the Oath that solely referenced “Treaties with Indigenous Peoples” was not relevant to all Indigenous peoples. For example, although many First Nations are party to formal “treaties”, Métis and Inuit agreements with the Crown are not always characterized as such.
• The proposed text was developed in consultation with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and the Department of Justice. Wording is consistent with the Constitution Act, 1982 and reflective of a broad range of rights held by diverse Indigenous peoples.

Supplementary messages

• The Department also engaged in targeted expert consultation with other key citizenship stakeholders such as the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and Historica Canada, as well as organizations representing the newcomer community in Canada, including the Canadian Council for Refugees, the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, the Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth, and the Catholic Immigration Centre Foundation of Ottawa. All were supportive of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action. The Canadian Council for Refugees was active early on, adopting a motion in 2016 encouraging the Government to act on Calls to Action 93 and 94.
• The Department also conducted public opinion research, including a telephone survey and focus groups.
• That is why the amendment proposed in Bill C-8 expands the wording of the Oath to address the spirit of the Call to Action #94, while responding to what we heard in conversations with stakeholders and describing a broad range of rights applied equally to diverse Indigenous peoples.

Background

• The Government engaged with the three national Indigenous organizations in its approach to addressing Call to Action #94 – the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis Nation, and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. It also engaged with the member councils that comprise the Land Claims Agreement Coalition, an organization that represents Inuit, Métis, and First Nations modern treaty organizations and governments in Canada.
• Although the three national Indigenous organizations do not represent all Indigenous peoples in Canada, they have broad mandates to represent many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.
• Engagement with the Land Claims Agreement Coalition member organizations did not generate much feedback other than generalized support for changing the Oath to include mention of Indigenous peoples’ rights consistent with the Constitution Act, 1982.
• When engaged, the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis Nation, and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami all clearly indicated that a change to the Oath that solely referenced “Treaties with Indigenous Peoples,” was not relevant to all Indigenous peoples and therefore not inclusive of varied Indigenous experiences.
• Specifically, both the Métis Nation and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami expressed concern that the reference to “treaties” did not capture their experience, since their agreements with the Crown are generally not described as such, and that the word “Indigenous” is felt to be First Nations-centric and insufficiently representative of their unique peoples.
• Further, the Assembly of First Nations indicated that the wording proposed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action number 94 did not adequately reflect their inherent rights and title to the land, in addition to treaty rights.
• The proposed text responds to what was heard, and uses wording that is consistent with the Constitution Act, 1982 and is reflective of a broad range of rights held by diverse Indigenous peoples.
• As proposed by the Call to Action #93, the Department will continue to engage with these and other Indigenous organizations, including the Native Women’s Association of Canada and the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, to ensure new Canadians understand the meaning and intent of the language. This will be supported through new content in the citizenship study guide, learning support tools, and new questions to test this knowledge.
• As well, in developing the new content in the citizenship study guide, the Department engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including Indigenous peoples, minority populations, women, Francophones, the LBGTQ2+ community, persons with disabilities, and academia.

Service provider organization

Calgary Catholic Immigration Society – Calgary

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Connections with indigenous peoples/organizations

• CCIS has the Land of Dreams project which connects newcomers with the culture of Indigenous peoples in Canada. This growing season, the objective has been pursued through CCIS’s partnership with Indigenous organization Miskanawah, and through workshops on local Canadian ecology and biodiversity presented to newcomers.
• At the beginning and end of the season, Elders from Miskanawah joined CCIS clients, staff, and partner organizations at the Land Of Dreams Project site for the raising of a teepee and a land blessing ceremony. The event offered an opportunity for clients to observe traditional ceremonies of Indigenous peoples of Canada, learn about their culture and history on the continent, and to draw connections between experiences of displacement amongst newcomers to Canada and the history of marginalization of Indigenous peoples. The event, and the communal lunch that followed, provided an important space for intercultural dialogue and sharing, and was a particularly impactful moment of connection.
• CCIS has hired a full-time Project Coordinator to work more directly to engage Indigenous partners and connect newcomers with the histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples. The Project Coordinator is working to develop sustainable partnerships with elders and Indigenous organizations. The Project Coordinator is also creating partnerships among other CCIS divisions and programs to ensure a wider pool of clients are able to access this unique programming.
• Through a coalition of leading health and social service agencies serving marginalized populations in the Calgary area, CCIS is working to deliver COVID-19 immunization services to high-risk indigenous persons, refugees new to Calgary within the past 3 years, and individuals at risk of homelessness, who are eligible under Alberta’s vaccine roll out. They are collaborating with leading health and social service agencies serving marginalized populations in the Calgary area.

Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth - Calgary

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Connections with indigenous peoples/organizations

• For Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth, they use the Circle of Courage model of youth development based on the principles of belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. The model integrates child development practices of Indigenous peoples and the findings of modern youth development research.
• Building on the "Welcome to Canada guide" and "Circle of Courage" of belonging, mastery, independence and generosity, their school-year programming sessions cover themes such as Canadian arts and culture, community and social connections, integration, identity, healthy living, First Nations, Metis and Inuit education and connection, post-secondary education, employment preparation, health, wellness and holistic schools, and community engagement.

Labrador Friendship Centre

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Connections with indigenous peoples/organizations

• Eligible IRCC clients will join members of the Inuit, Innu and South Inuit communities to participate in cross cultural activities with the goal of building connections between newcomers and the local community.
• Facilitates an environment in which newcomers and Indigenous Peoples can grow lasting friendships and build connections to the community.
• Workshops to be held include: Orientation to Indigenous Peoples, Ice Fishing, Dog Sledding, Sweatlodge (currently cancelled due to COVID), Sealskin Mittens, Sealskin Slippers, Inuit Drum, dancing, Kamik (boots) and snowshoeing. The program also hosts additional social and cultural activities that promote the beauty and uniqueness of Labrador and its first peoples.
• Due to COVID-19 and local restrictions, activities are ongoing however they have had to limit the amount of people who may attend the activities. Activities are still being held in person with restrictions such as physical distancing, masks and hand sanitizing.