COW - Additional Information – Consultations and Engagements – June 10, 2021

Consultations – High-level Chronology

Late 2016 – early 2018

Ongoing engagement with Indigenous stakeholders

Late 2016

Working-level consultations begin with the Assembly of First Nations, Métis Nation, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

March 2017

Public opinion research study

March – April 2017

Telephone and email consultation with selected Deputy Minister’s Advisory Committee (DMAC) members

March – April 2017

PCO telephone survey – public sample

May 2017 – July 2017

Face-to-face meetings with Métis Nation, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Assembly of First Nations

May 2017

Minister Hussen bilateral meeting with President Natan Obed, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

June 2017

Minister Hussen bilateral meeting with President Clément Chartier, Métis Nation

August 2017

Minister Hussen bilateral meeting with National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Assembly of First Nations

August - Sept 2017

Follow-up meetings with Assembly of First Nations, continued engagement with Métis Nation, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

April 2018

Email and teleconference engagement with Land Claims Agreement Coalition

Consultations Detail – Indigenous Stakeholders

National Indigenous Organizations

IRCC consulted for over a year with the three National Indigenous Organizations – the Assembly of First Nations, Métis Nation, and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

Working-level consultations began in late 2016. A second round of consultations with the Métis Nation, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Assembly of First Nations began in May 2017 and included a round of initial face-to-face meetings, as well as several follow-up meetings with the Assembly of First Nations in late summer and early fall 2017.

As well, Minister Hussen met bilaterally with each National Indigenous Organization leader:

• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami – President Natan Obed – late May 2017.
• Métis Nation – President Clément Chartier – early June (June 1) 2017
• Assembly of First Nations – National Chief Perry Bellegarde – late August (August 21) 2017.

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Self-governing and Modern Treaty First Nations

In April 2018, IRCC also consulted the Land Claims Agreement Coalition, which comprises 26 self-governing and modern treaty First Nations. The Department shared three proposed versions of changes to the Oath, and offered those interested the opportunity to share their views and perspectives either via teleconference or in writing.

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Consultations Detail – Public and Expert Stakeholders

Targeted Consultations with Selected Deputy Minister’s Advisory Committee (DMAC) Members

Targeted consultations were undertaken with expert citizenship stakeholders to solicit views on amending the Oath via email and in-person calls in March and April 2017.

DMAC members engaged:

• Fariborz Birjandian – Executive Director, Calgary Catholic Immigration Society
• Daniel Hiebert – Professor of Geography, University of British Columbia
• Arthur Sweetman – Ontario Research Chair in Health Human Resources, McMaster University
• Roland Paris – Research Chair in International Security and Governance, University of Ottawa
• Umashanie Reddy – Chief Executive Officer, Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth
• Carl Nicholson – Executive Director, Catholic Immigration Centre and Catholic Immigration Centre Foundation of Ottawa

[Redacted]

PCO Telephone Survey

PCO conducted telephone surveys with a random sample of 1,512 Canadians between March 22 and April 16, 2017. Participants were provided with the TRC recommendation and asked:

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations to change the last sentence of the Oath of Citizenship? Please use a scale from 1 to 10 where 1 means you “Strongly disagree” with this change and 10 means you “Strongly agree” with this change.

Outcomes:

• As per the methodology, the findings are quantitative and not qualitative.
• A slim majority of 51% agreed with the change, 21% were neutral, and 25% of respondents replied that they disagreed with the change.
• In a provincial breakdown of the responses, the strongest support for the change to the Oath was noted in Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, while support was weaker in the prairies and the Atlantic provinces.

IRCC Public Opinion Research Study

Nine focus groups took place in seven locations across Canada between March 16 and 29, 2017. To ensure a consistent interpretation of the context of the recommendation, the moderator provided all participants some background information about the Commission as well as a handout with background information about the Oath of Citizenship, the TRC report and recommendations, as well as the current and proposed wording for the Oath. Participants were asked:

Have any of you heard of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? One of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission involves modifying the current Oath of Citizenship to include new language around treaties with Indigenous peoples.

I am going to give you a copy of the current Oath and the Oath as modified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and I would like to get your feedback on the proposed changes.

Outcomes:

• Overall, there was little or no awareness of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission or the recommendation to change the Oath.
• Participants indicated a low knowledge of treaties.
• There was some concern expressed about setting a precedent for other groups.
• There was some concern about the meaningfulness of the change.
• Participants commonly noted that there is a need to educate newcomers about Indigenous peoples and treaties in Canada.
• Most felt that the TRC proposed language was appropriate.