Canada's Position on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
  • This is the official Government of Canada statement in 2007 by Ambassador John McNee, who was the Representative of Canada to the United Nations 61st Session of the General Assembly on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
  • After the UN presented the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples, eleven countries abstained from the declaration, Canada being one of them.
  • John McNee's statement announced Canada's position against the Declaration based on concerns over the wording of the Declaration and over certain articles.
  • This ultimately led to Canada initially voting against the adoption of the Declaration and it was not until 2016 that the Government of Canada endorsed the Declaration.
Citation

Canada. News. Statement by Ambassador McNee to the General Assembly on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 2007. https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2007/09/statement-ambassador-menee-general-assembly-declaration-rights-indigenous-peoples.html

Further Readings

For more information on Canada voting 'no' against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-votes-no-as-un-native-rights-declaration-passes-1.632160

For the 2007 Declaration, which was rejected by Canada: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html

Policy Sub-Topic
Specific Claims and Treaty Rights (Indigenous Peoples)
Policy Type
Press Release

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