Bill C-15 · 43th Parliament · Justin Trudeau
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act
An Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Government bill. Became law.
- IntroducedDec. 3, 2020
- Debated in principleApril 19, 2021
- Studied by a committeeDone
- Passed its first chamberMay 25, 2021
- Passed the second chamberJune 16, 2021
- Became lawJune 20, 2021
Leading supporters
Ranked by the part each played: who is responsible for the bill, who carried it, and who spoke for it most.
- Justin TrudeauPrime Minister
- Patti LaBoucane-BensonSenate · Sponsor in the Senate
- Marilène GillBlocCalls it a historic bill and hopes for swift adoption after years of delay.
- Leah GazanNDPCalls the bill long overdue and praises those who advanced UNDRIP.
- Gary Anandasangaree18 interventions in debatePresents the bill as fulfilling the government's commitment to implement the declaration.
- Adam van Koeverden5 interventions in debateDescribes the bill as one of the most important pieces of legislation for reconciliation.
- Yvonne Jones5 interventions in debateExplicitly states support for the bill and its role in renewed relationships.
- Andréanne LaroucheBlocNotes UNDRIP adoption was a key recommendation and stresses the need to pass the bill.
Who carries this bill
Arrows run from the person responsible to those who answer to them on this bill. The critic leads the Senate’s scrutiny and answers to no one on it.
What it set out to do
On 3 December 2020, the Justice Minister introduced Bill C-15, An Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act), in the House of Commons and it was given first reading. Bill C-15 provides that the Government of Canada must take all measures necessary to ensure that the laws of Canada are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and must prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the objectives of the Declaration.
Summary by the Library of Parliament.
Where members stand
3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-15 · 2021-05-25 · Passed
- Voted for: 210
- Voted against: 118
- Did not vote: 10
How it changed on the way
8% of the text as introduced was changed or removed by the time it became law (5,659 words introduced, 5,691 passed). A committee amended it.
minor changeintent mostly kept
The core obligations to align Canadian law with the Declaration and create an action plan stayed intact, but the timeline for the plan was cut from three years to two. The preamble gained explicit references to the doctrines of discovery and terra nullius plus language that section 35 rights are not frozen.
- Deadline for completing the action plan was shortened.
Before: “no later than three years after the day on which this section comes into force.”
After: “no later than two years after the day on which this section comes into force.”
- Preamble added condemnation of the doctrines of discovery and terra nullius.
After: “including the doctrines of discovery and terra nullius , are racist, scientifically false, legally invalid, morally condemnable and socially unjust;”
- Preamble added statement that section 35 rights can evolve.
After: “and Canadian courts have stated that such rights are not frozen and are capable of evolution and growth;”
- Preamble and action-plan content added references to systemic racism.
Before: “including systemic discrimination, against Indigenous peoples”
After: “including systemic racism and discrimination, against Indigenous peoples”
How precisely it is written
vagueChallenging the law: EasyDisputing a charge: Hard
The Act relies on broad phrases such as 'all measures necessary' and 'in consultation and cooperation' without objective tests or defined limits. The incorporated Declaration adds many subjective standards like 'appropriate measures' and 'just and fair redress'.
Open to argument
“take all measures necessary to ensure that the laws of Canada are consistent with the Declaration”
Uses an open-ended necessity standard with no numerical or objective criteria for compliance.“in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples”
Subjective process requirement whose adequacy can be endlessly debated.“take the appropriate measures, including legislative measures, to achieve the ends of this Declaration”
Delegates choice of measures to undefined judgment without narrow criteria.“just and fair redress”
Vague compensation standard inviting prolonged argument over what qualifies.
Clear-cut
“Declaration means the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations as General Assembly Resolution 61/295 on September 13, 2007”
Pins the exact document and date, eliminating ambiguity about source text.“Indigenous peoples has the meaning assigned by the definition aboriginal peoples of Canada in subsection 35(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982”
Cross-references an existing statutory definition for clarity.
Discretion. The Minister and Governor in Council decide the content of the action plan, which ministers participate, and what counts as sufficient consultation or necessary measures, with almost no statutory guardrails.
Challenging the law itself. Broad undefined duties and incorporation of subjective Declaration language readily support vagueness or overbreadth claims under the Charter, especially section 7 and section 35.
Disputing a charge under it. The obligations fall only on the Government of Canada, so disputes centre on whether its chosen measures satisfy the Act rather than on individual conduct.
Read by a language model from the royal assent text; every quoted phrase appears in the bill. A reading of the drafting, not legal advice.
Did it work?
too early to tell
The UNDRIP Act (2021) requires consistency measures and an action plan; the government released its Action Plan in 2023 with 181 measures and has issued annual progress reports through 2025 showing partial implementation amid funding and coordination challenges. No independent statutory reviews, Auditor General audits, or court rulings on the federal Act exist yet, with only departmental self-reports available.
- Fourth annual progress report on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Justice Canada, 2025)evaluationProgress reported on many of 181 Action Plan measures including non-derogation clause and advisory committee, but progress described as sometimes slow or uneven with needs for better coordination and funding.
- Year in recap: Action Plan – Third annual progress report (Justice Canada, 2024)evaluationWork begun on 159 of 178 measures by end of 2023-24 fiscal year, with 71% having some funding allocated, though implementation challenges persist due to funding constraints.
Who lobbied on it
No lobbying registration naming this bill is loaded.
Stages and dates from LEGISinfo.