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ARTICLE · 18 AUGUST 2023

From Paper To Practice: Implementing UNDRIP In Canada

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On June 21, 2023, Canada unveiled its Action Plan to bring the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into effect across Canada – at least in part.

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Cam Cameron
Cam Cameron
Joshua Shoemaker
Joshua Shoemaker
Kelsey Buchmayer
Kelsey Buchmayer
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On June 21, 2023, Canada unveiled its Action Plan to bring the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into effect across Canada – at least in part.

As a non-binding international instrument, Canada first characterized UNDRIP as an "aspirational" baseline for the treatment of Indigenous Peoples. Binding or not, the implementation of UNDRIP is a complex exercise for any country.

However, this is particularly so where a country is home to a confederation, i.e. it has multiple governments that must coordinate with one another. Such is the case in Canada, which not only has several distinct levels of government—the Federal Government, ten provincial governments, three territorial governments, along with dozens of districts and municipalities—but these governments all have powers that often overlap and at times, conflict.

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