As Saskatoon explores UNDRIP implementation, Indigenous voices want more from federal and provincial leaders

The City of Saskatoon is examining the possibility of implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) after councillors voted unanimously in July in favour of administration writing a report on potential implementation.

The UNDRIP document, passed by the UN General Assembly in 2007, affirms the rights of Indigenous people to their language, culture, self-determination and traditional lands. It also establishes "minimum standards for the survival and well-being" of Indigenous people.

Federal Bill C-15, which will see Canada formally adopt UNDRIP, has been approved already by the House of Commons and the Senate. Though Conservatives in both chambers largely voted against it, the legislation received royal assent on National Indigenous Peoples Day this year.

Figuring out how to Implement UNDRIP will be a challenge for Saskatoon, according to the city's mayor.

"There's no city that has successfully and fully completed this process, so there's quite a bit of work to be done to explore what is the best way to do it," Mayor Charlie Clark said. 

"There are a number of cities that have begun the process of either adopting or implementing UNDRIP, but there's work to be done to report some specific implications for the city."

The city is consulting with scholars, experts, communities and other jurisdictions on how to move forward. 

In a July, Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand wrote a letter asking the mayor to implement the declaration.

"Adopting and implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is about building a better country for Indigenous peoples and all Canadians, now and in the future," Arcand wrote. 

"The same can be said for the City of Saskatoon to be a true leader in reconciliation, honouring Indigenous relations."

Clark said there are a lot of individual people trying to achieve reconciliation and build better relationships with Indigenous communities.

"But there isn't necessarily an overarching framework to guide that. That's the opportunity that UNDRIP provides. It creates a framework that can help make the approach to reconciliation less piecemeal," he said.

There is no timeline set for when the report council requested from administration will be presented, but Clark said they expect an initial report around the new year.

Melissa Cote, director of Indigenous initiatives at the city, said her department has been primarily tasked with looking at the implementation.