OTTAWA, June 21, 2019 /CNW/ - There is no relationship more important to the Government of Canada than the one with Indigenous Peoples. Our government is committed to advancing a renewed relationship with Indigenous communities, based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. We are working to modernize and strengthen the structures within the federal government to support Indigenous capacity building and support the vision of self-determination.
Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, marked National Indigenous Peoples Day by announcing that Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard are committing to a whole-of-department, long-term approach to advancing meaningful Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in the areas of fisheries, oceans, aquatic habitat, and marine waterways. With this commitment, the Department is developing a Reconciliation strategy.
This new Reconciliation strategy will guide team members to:
The new strategy is an internal guide that will support employees in understanding why and how effective Reconciliation is so significant in their day-to-day work. This approach is one of the first of its kind among federal government departments. This is a practical plan of action. We will implement a process for tracking and reporting on results, will continue to evolve over time to adapt to changing needs and feedback, while building on achieved successes and experience. The Department will work with Indigenous partners and departmental stakeholders in the evolution and implementation of the strategy.
The new strategy announced today builds on work the Department is already doing across the country to strengthen the relationship with Indigenous communities, and to recognize self-determination and reduce socio-economic gaps. This work includes:
Today's announcement lines up with our government's and our Department's commitment to recognize and implement Indigenous and treaty rights related to fisheries, oceans, aquatic habitat, and marine waterways in a manner consistent with section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the federal Principles Respecting the Government of Canada's Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.
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"Today, on National Indigenous Peoples Day, every Canadian has a heightened opportunity to recognize and reflect on not only the importance of Indigenous values, cultures and traditions, but on the tremendous ongoing contributions to the fabric of this country from Indigenous communities from coast, to coast, to coast. There is no relationship more important to our government than the one with Indigenous Peoples. At Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard we are coming through on this commitment. We recognize this and are working on a roadmap for the whole Department, to help advance Reconciliation at every working level. This new strategy is a concrete step toward transformative change in how our key federal department approaches engagement with Indigenous communities. As we continue to move forward and expand on our collaborative efforts with Indigenous peoples, these partners are integral to the evolution and implementation of my department's reconciliation strategy."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada
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