Indigenous Peoples

1. Newcomers to Canada like all Canadian residents are treaty peoples;
2. The federal, provincial and territorial governments have a responsibility to make newcomers aware of treaties and the history of residential schools, and support their full participation as treaty peoples;
3. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada issued 94 Calls to Action to federal, provincial, territorial and Aboriginal governments in its final report in December;
4. TRC Calls to Action #93 and #94 specifically charge the federal government with providing a “more inclusive history of diverse Aboriginal peoples in Canada, including information about the Treaties and history of residential schools” and revising the Citizenship Oath to include swearing to “faithfully observe the laws of Canada including Treaties with Indigenous Peoples”;

Canada has a record of failure to honour United Nations human rights covenants and conventions in its treatment of the indigenous peoples of Canada by uprooting those peoples from their lands and denying them due process, even under Canadian law;

1. The CCR is committed to ensuring protection for all persons experiencing gender based violence;
2. There are more than 1,000 missing and murdered First Nations, Inuit and Metis women and girls;
3. First Nations, Inuit and Metis women and girls experience high levels of violence throughout Canada;
4. The affected communities are calling for a national inquiry;

1. The CCR resolved in November 2013 to honour all the Treaties upon which this country is founded and which bind all of us as treaty peoples;
2. Newcomers to Canada enter into that treaty relationship when they become resident in this country;
3. The State does not make newcomers aware of their treaty responsibilities;

1. Canada as a nation has yet to fully respect the Indigenous nations and honour their inherent rights as acknowledged by the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and provided for by the many subsequent Treaties.
2. Injustices and harms have been – and continue to be – perpetrated upon Indigenous peoples as a result of the colonization of the First Peoples and the racist policies of the governments in Canada.
3. Despite Canada's economic prosperity, First Peoples continue to experience a disproportionate level of poverty and related disparities as compared to the rest of the population.
4. As Treaty peoples, we share a vision for Canada which promises fairness, respect, justice, equality and prosperity for everyone on these lands and territories.
5. We believe that the first critical step towards realizing that vision is the rebuilding and renewing of the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of Canada through a process of reconciliation that fully honours our respective roles as Treaty peoples.

1. The CCR’s 2003 resolution calls on its members to sensitize themselves on the issues facing First Nations communities and explore ways of having meaningful dialogue with these communities;
2. The CCR needs to further this position by taking concrete action to strengthen relationships with indigenous communities;
3. The CCR also must incorporate awareness of the history and present realities of indigenous peoples in our activities and our work;

1. The immigrant and refugee sector has made little attempt to create meaningful linkages with Canada's First Nation communities.
2. Non-aboriginal Canadians (including immigrants and refugees) have been beneficiaries of Canada's policies that have discriminated against Aboriginal communities;