The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted in 2007, and was endorsed by the Government of Canada in 2016. More recently, the federal government released its Principles respecting the Government of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples, marking a move to align federal policy with the provisions of UNDRIP.
This report, produced as part of the Decolonizing Water initiative and supported with funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, examines existing research and knowledge from leading Indigenous and non-Indigenous thinkers on the issue, to support dialogue on implementing UNDRIP with respect to fresh water issues in Canada.
The key findings suggest that more collaborative and proactive processes are needed to uphold Indigenous decision-making authority with respect to water, in order to meet the requirements laid out in UNDRIP.
This report was co-authored by West Coast Environmental Law and the University of British Columbia.