Progress on trade in Canada must reflect a commitment to Indigenous rights
Canada’s unions are marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by calling on government to fulfill its obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDRIP).
Bill C-5, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, passed in June 2025, provides an opportunity to facilitate internal trade and accelerate critical nation-building projects. These objectives could support good union jobs and generate lasting economic benefits for workers and communities across Canada.
However, as it relates to Indigenous rights and implementation of the Act, we urge government to heed the concerns of Indigenous organizations and community members regarding consultation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Government must ensure it is fulfilling its commitments to respecting treaty and constitutional rights of Indigenous peoples, as well as its international obligations under UNDRIP, which include the requirement to obtain free, prior, and informed consent when undertaking projects and developing related policies affecting Indigenous peoples’ rights to land, territory and resources.
“Upholding these commitments as part of implementation of the Building Canada Act is not merely a legal duty. It is a matter of enacting true reconciliation and demonstrating that respecting Indigenous peoples’ rights to decision-making is integral and deeply linked to protecting and advancing the national interest,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress.
Canada’s unions believe that any project deemed to be in the best interest of the Canadian economy must not only reflect economic objectives but also advance labour and human rights, equity, sustainability, and community resilience.
The Building Canada Act offers government an important opportunity to prioritize Indigenous rights and advance reconciliation by guaranteeing a high-standard, rights-based consultative process with Indigenous peoples, an approach that puts people-centred partnership with Indigenous communities, rule of law and human rights first, all of which are essential to building a just and strong economy for all.
Resources:
Check out the links below to find out about events and calls to action from Indigenous organizations across Canada marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Métis National Council
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada
And visit our Indigenous Justice Resource Centre for resources to advance reconciliation in your workplace or union.