OTTAWA—There’s nothing frightening about adopting and implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett said May 9 at the U.N.
Bennett earned a standing ovation from a U.N. forum in New York by announcing that Canada is now a full supporter of the 2007 declaration, “without qualification.”
UNDRIP, as it is known by its acronym, describes a global set of collective and human rights covering indigenous issues including language, identity, culture and traditions, health and education, and free, prior, informed consent over resource extraction. The declaration is not considered legally binding.
Bennett said Canada is uniquely placed because it is one of the few countries in the world that has already incorporated indigenous rights in its constitution.
