Bill C-15, the legislation that is the first step towards implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People into Canadian law, is controversial both within and without First Nations communities.
Melissa Mbarki, policy analyst in the Indigenous Policy Program at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute joins host Daniel Proussalidis of Cardus’ The Long Way podcast to discuss the bill, the process of reconciliation in Canada, and the role that natural resource development can play in bringing economic freedom to First Nations communities.
Reconciliation is crucial for this country. But what should be done? Mbarki believes more Indigenous representation in government is key.
“Having our First Nations leaders actively involved in provincial and federal legislation. We need to start removing the silos that we see. These are not getting us anywhere, it is actually preventing conversations from happening, and it doesn’t give us a whole lot of autonomy to choose what is best for us and our communities.”
The second key priority, she argues, is looking at the government structures Indigenous people have to work with, and ensuring that they are actually working with Indigenous people to engage with them on local and individual issues, and not just dealing with them by forcing one-size fits all solutions.
Focusing on these and other substantive priorities is far more important than symbolic declarations—indeed, she believes that implementing this UNDRIP legislation will do more harm than good.
“It doesn’t leave accountability to anyone. You have all of these initiatives in this act, but at the end of the day who is accountable for them? Is it just another nice promise to Indigenous people to keep us at bay? From my perspective, and as it sits right now, it is just creating more red tape for First Nations reserves and our elected Chief and council to go through.”
