December 5, 2019 – Ottawa, Ontario – Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami welcomes the affirmation in today’s Speech from the Throne that reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples remains a core priority for this government. We are encouraged by commitments to close the infrastructure gap by 2030, co-develop legislation to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples within the coming year, and co-develop legislation to ensure that Indigenous peoples receive culturally relevant health care and mental health services at a level consistent with that all Canadians can expect to receive.
ITK looks forward to working with Ministers of the Crown to build on the progress made during the last mandate. Investments in infrastructure and housing remain a high priority in Inuit Nunangat. Inuit leadership takes the co-development of legislation seriously and we are committed to working in the spirit of true partnership with government to realize our joint ambitions. In the coming days and weeks we will be seeking more details related to legislation co-development, as well as the commitment to investments in infrastructure.