Ottawa, Ontario – Traditional Unceded Territory of the Algonquin People – October 10, 2024
The Honorable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, made the following statement today to mark the introduction of legislation to establish the position of Modern Treaty Implementation Commissioner:
“For decades, Indigenous partners have called for the creation of an independent monitoring body responsible for ensuring that the federal government respects the commitments it made under modern treaties. Today we mark another important step in this common journey towards reconciliation. We have tabled a bill to establish the position of Modern Treaty Implementation Commissioner, who will be an independent agent of Parliament. This decision follows an extensive joint development process between Canada and Indigenous modern treaty partners. The commissioner, whose duties will focus exclusively on modern treaties, will ensure that the federal government is held accountable and identify areas where the government can improve, so that we are ultimately better treaty partners.
During the development of Bill C-77, we engaged more than 130 groups, including Indigenous partners in modern treaties, Indigenous groups negotiating modern treaties, signatories to self-government agreements, signatories to sectoral agreements, national Indigenous organizations and our counterparts from provincial and territorial governments. I want to thank Indigenous modern treaty partners across the country who continue to tirelessly defend their rights and who worked to co-develop this bill.
Reconciliation requires lasting trust, transparency and accountability, which means honoring the commitments we have made. The creation of the position of Modern Treaty Implementation Commissioner will provide additional support and another measure of protection.
The establishment of the post of Commissioner for the Implementation of Modern Treaties contributes to the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and advances measure no. 9 of the Action Plan for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act by jointly developing a modern treaty monitoring mechanism.
The tabling of this bill reflects the significant progress made to ensure long-term accountability and fairness for Indigenous peoples. The creation of a new position of Commissioner responsible for the implementation of modern treaties, who will be an agent of Parliament, will constitute a real turning point towards a future where partners can be assured that Canada will fulfill all its commitments and all responsibilities emanating from modern treaties, and that a law will ensure that it respects these standards. »
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