SO, WHAT'S IN THE ACTION PLAN FOR INDIGENOUS YOUTH?

The Action Plan contains 180 actions and is divided into the following sections: Shared Priorities (22 actions), Cross-cutting priorities (88 actions), First Nations priorities (19 actions), Inuit priorities (22 actions), Métis priorities (13 actions), and Indigenous Modern Treaty partner priorities (16 actions).

Notably, each action is assigned to a specific ministry/department. The bulk of the actions have been assigned to Justice Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, and Indigenous Services Canada

In total, there are five actions that specifically refer to Indigenous youth, at least three of which are actions that the government had previously committed to.

Action 29: Continue working on child welfare reform by implementing An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families. Passed in 2019, this law is meant to reduce the number of Indigenous children and youth in the child welfare system by affirming and protecting the right of communities to have jurisdiction over child and family services. (Assigned to: Indigenous Services Canada)

Action 51: Ensure the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada carries out its work in a way that aligns with the goals and spirit of UNDRIP. This includes prioritizing free, prior and informed consent and “consideration of health, social and economic factors, including impacts to women, youth and Elders” (p 35) (Assigned to: Impact Assessment Agency of Canada)

Accountable to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Studies the environmental, economic, social, and health impacts of infrastructure and resource-extraction projects.

Action 96: For places administered by Parks Canada, the department must “advance policy and on-the-land initiatives” in order to support Indigenous peoples relationships with their lands and waters. This includes funding and employment support for on-the-land language and cultural learning by and for Indigenous peoples, including youth. (Assigned to: Parks Canada)

Action 103: Action 103: In consultation with Indigenous language keepers, continue funding early learning and child care services in Indigenous communities that support Indigenous youth in learning their language.

(Assigned to: Employment and Social Development Canada and Indigenous Services Canada)

Action 104: “Co-develop options to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 66, to ‘establish multi-year funding for communitybased youth organizations to deliver programs on reconciliation and establish a national network to share information and best practices’”. (Assigned to: CrownIndigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada)