The Supreme Court Spoke… But Did Anybody Listen?
CAP Comments on 5 Year anniversary of Supreme Court Daniels Decision
OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 14, 2021 / Today marks the 5th anniversary of the CAP-Daniels Supreme Court Decision. On April 14, 2016, the Supreme Court of Canada declared for the first time, that the Federal Government has Constitutional responsibility for Métis and Non-Status Indians. Despite this landmark victory, little progress has been made on key areas of Indigenous rights recognition at the federal level.
“In the five years since the Daniels decision, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has fought hard for the Federal Government to live up to the ruling the Supreme Court laid out. Despite the Supreme Court victory, the federal government still has not fundamentally recognized our people,” said Chief Lorraine Augustine, CAP Board Member. Chief Augustine is a current CAP Board Member and was an original signatory of the CAP Board Decision to support the Daniels case in 1999.
National Vice-Chief Kim Beaudin added, “Indigenous people in Canada still face widespread discrimination and racism in justice and policing. Discrimination and racism in health care continues. All this stems from a lack of recognition that should have followed the Supreme Court ruling on the CAP-Daniels legal battle.
CAP continues to fight on multiple levels to ensure that off-reserve Status and Non-Status Indians have equal access to federal supports and are not deprived of programs, services and intangible benefits outlined by the court as fundamental.
National Chief Elmer St. Pierre concluded by reinforcing that the CAP-Daniels Supreme Court decision makes it clear the federal government has responsibility for off-reserve Indigenous Canadians, “on this important 5-year anniversary we recognize and thank the late Harry Daniels. He was a proud former leader of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and this Supreme Court decision in his name promises the possibility for a better tomorrow for our peoples”
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Background
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) is the second-oldest national aboriginal organization in Canada. It was founded in 1971, one year after the AFN. CAP represents the interests of off reserve status and non-status Indians, Métis and Southern Inuit Aboriginal Peoples throughout Canada. CAP is one of five national Indigenous organizations recognized by the federal government, and holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
SOURCE: The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
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