HAMILTON, Ontario, Jan. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What does reconciliation look like as we approach the 8th anniversary of the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Summary Report in June 2015?
Indigenous Watchdog has created a picture based on an examination of all 431 positive "Actions and Commitments" and 315 "Current Problem" entries documented in 2022. That picture, unfortunately, is clouded over by the numerous problems across most Calls to Action that reinforce the following:
- Lack of political will to tackle the hardest issues, specifically issues around land and self-government
- Structural, legislative and institutional barriers embedded in colonial governance systems
- Systemic racism and discrimination entrenched within multiple sectors of society
- Failure to collect and disseminate quality data that makes accurate reporting difficult
This review provides a glimpse at a high level into what is happening at a national and at a regional level: the good and the bad. And although there is a lot of good that is happening across the country in most of the Calls to Action, there are a still lot of problems. The intent is to highlight both by giving concrete examples of the positive and the negative.
Where are the problems?
Most of the problems are with the federal government. Not surprising since they are directly accountable for 76 of the Calls to Action on their own or in partnership with the provinces and territories (accountable for 35 themselves). The problem areas are in the 7 largest jurisdictions where 89% of the Indigenous people in Canada live.
The worst offenders:
- Federal: 84 entries
- Ontario: 49 entries
- BC: 37 entries
- Manitoba: 35 entries
- Québec: 29 entries
- Saskatchewan: 19 entries
- Alberta: 14 entries
The numbers below indicate the entries documented for each stakeholder within each of the highest ranked “Problem” areas:
- Justice: 56 - Federal (21), Manitoba (9), Ontario (7), Saskatchewan (6), BC (4)
- Child Welfare: 40 - Federal (16), Manitoba (7), Québec (6), BC (3), Alberta (2)
- Health: 40 - Ontario (11), Manitoba (9), Québec (7), Saskatchewan (2), Alberta (2)
- Treaty and Land Claims: 39 - Ontario (13), BC (7), Alberta (5), Saskatchewan (5)
- Environment: 30 - BC (12), Federal (7), Ontario (5)
- Government Commitments: 26 - Federal (8), Québec (6), BC (3)
Another effective way to gauge how reconciliation is working is to explore what is happening in the court system. There are 16 court cases in 7 jurisdictions documented in Indigenous Watchdog: Federal, BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec and New Brunswick. What does that say about reconciliation when governments refuse to negotiate but turn to the colonial court systems that still do not recognize Indigenous laws and legal traditions.
Where are the positive actions and commitments?
- Federal: 168 entries
- Ontario: 48 entries
- BC: 43 entries
- Manitoba: 40 entries
- Saskatchewan: 22 entries
- Alberta: 19 entries
- Northwest Territories: 14 entries
The numbers below indicate the entries documented for each stakeholder within each of the highest ranked “Positive Actions and Commitments” areas:
- Justice: 78 – Federal (26), Manitoba (11), Ontario (10)
- Government Commitments: 50 - (Federal (20), BC (9), Alberta (4) Manitoba (4)
- Education: 34 - Federal (7), Ontario (7), Manitoba (4)
- Missing Children: Federal (21), Manitoba (4), Ontario (4)
- Health: 27 – Ontario (5), Nova Scotia (5), Manitoba (5)
- Environment: 23 – Federal (15), BC (2), Manitoba (2) Nunavut (2)
- Child Welfare: 19 – Federal (8), BC (3), Manitoba (2), Ontario (2)
For full details visit Indigenous Watchdog at https://www.indigenouswatchdog.org/
Contact Information:
For more information contact:
Douglas Sinclair
Executive Director
Indigenous Watchdog
Email: indigenouswatchdog@gmail.com
