Question Period Note: 2021–22 CIRNAC Departmental Results Report

• We are pleased to present CIRNAC’s Departmental Results Report for 2021–22.
• CIRNAC continued to support the Government of Canada’s commitment to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and to address the unique needs of Northerners.
• We also strenghtened relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples to support their right to self-determination and to address historical wrongs.

CIRNAC priorities
In 2021–22, CIRNAC, Indigenous Peoples and Northerners continued to work together to achieve progress in the following 3 priority areas: accelerating the renewal of the relationship with Indigenous Peoples, modernizing institutional structures and governance to support Indigenous visions of self-determination, and advancing work in the North.
Finance
Actual spending has decreased from $5.4 billion in 2020–21 to $4.8 billion in 2021–22. The net decrease of $0.6 billion primarily reflects the variance in payments issued year over year for settled claims, the largest variances including:
• a decrease in payments for Specific Claims settlements (-$1.3 billion)
Partially offset by:
• an increase in payments for the Federal Indian Day Schools Settlement Agreement (McLean) (+$468.3 million)
Specific claims
The mandate letters of the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations include commitments to reform the specific claims process in collaboration with First Nation partners. The Assembly of First Nations led a national policy reform engagement exercise in Fall 2019, and drafted a policy reform options report shared with CIRNAC in Fall 2020. CIRNAC has a Joint Technical Working Group in place to promote dialogue and develop a plan for specific claims reform.
In 2021–22, CIRNAC worked closely with First Nations partners on a specific claims reform proposal to reinforce the long-standing position of the Government of Canada that the negotiated resolution of specific claims is more effective than litigation in addressing historical grievances, managing the cost of claims, and advancing reconciliation.
From 2013–14 to 2015–16, an average of 13.6 claims per year were resolved. From 2019–20 to 2021–22, an average of 31.6 claims per year were resolved. In 2021–22, 26 claims were resolved for a total of $364 million in compensation paid to First Nations.

If pressed on resolution of specific claims

• In 2021–22, CIRNAC advanced work with First Nations partners to reform the specific claims process.

• From 2019–20 to 2021–22, an average of 31.6 claims were resolved. In 2021–22, 26 claims were resolved for a total of $364 million in compensation paid to First Nations.

• This work supports CIRNAC’s ongoing efforts to further advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

If pressed on unmarked burial sites

• CIRNAC is leading a whole-of-government approach to identify and share documents related to residential schools with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

• In 2021–22, we continued to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 72 to 76 with regards to missing children and unmarked burials, to support healing, wellness and commemoration.

• More specifically, we further developed and maintained the National Residential School Student Death Register, and we helped develop a Cemetery Register.

If pressed on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People

• In 2021–22, the Government of Canada, Indigenous families, survivors, partners, Indigenous women’s organizations, provinces and territories launched the National Action Plan for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People.

• The government also continued to implement the Federal Pathway, which represents its contribution to the National Action Plan and outlines its commitment to address gender-based violence and advance reconciliation.

• CIRNAC coordinated the efforts of over 25 government departments and agencies, resulting in over $2.2 billion in Budget investments for these initiatives.

If pressed on progress towards self-determination

• Another accomplishment includes advancing the number of treaties and self-government agreements to support Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination, which has positively impacted 63 Indigenous communities in Canada.

• We also continued to advance the implementation of the Recognition and Reconciliation of Rights Policy for Treaty Negotiations in British Columbia.

• Work was completed towards the development of a common process, established in Spring 2022, between Modern Treaty partners and the Government of Canada to collaboratively explore new tools and approaches.