Advocate for the adoption and full implementation of UNDRIP at all levels of government.

City of St. John’s: Adopted UNDRIP in principle, working on its implementation

The City of St. John’s made a commitment to “support and promote the implementation” of UNDRIP as part of the Declaration in Support of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that was adopted unanimously by Council in September 2020. Since then, the City has formed the Joint Coordinating Committee on Indigenous Rights which has named this Call for Change as a priority.

To help inform and spark policy change at the municipal level, First Voice held its inaugural First Peoples Policy Forum in December 2022 in St. John’s. The event helped to promote greater awareness and understanding of the international declaration. Organized around the theme of mobilizing Indigenous sovereignty, the Policy Forum brought together more than a dozen speakers from across Newfoundland and Labrador and three other provinces. The event was well attended by policy-makers and municipal officials.

Government of Canada: Work underway

With the passage of Bill C-15 in 2021, work is now underway to implement UNDRIP at the federal level. British Columbia was the first province or territory to pass legislation implementing UNDRIP, in November 2019. The Northwest Territories became the second, in October 2023.

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: No progress yet

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has yet to endorse or adopt UNDRIP. This lack of recognition of international efforts to support the rights of Indigenous Peoples is related to a general trend of inaction seen in other Calls for Change where the provincial government is implicated as the main decision-maker.

For the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador:

• Make a commitment in principle to adopt UNDRIP and develop an implementation plan in collaboration with all Indigenous groups in the province, including urban Indigenous communities.

For the City of St. John’s:

• Allocate appropriate resources in the upcoming budget cycle to provide research and policy development support for the Joint Coordinating Committee on Indigenous Rights to create a comprehensive multi-year work plan, prioritizing Calls for Change 19 and 40.