INAN - Consultations and Engagements - Jan 28, 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, the Department engaged the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council. It also engaged 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 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.

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, and 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 number 94, while responding to what we heard in consultations 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.   
• Consultations 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 consulted, 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.
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