Progress on Trade in Canada Must Reflect a Commitment to Indigenous Rights

Canada’s unions are marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by calling on the government to fulfill its obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDRIP). 

Bill C-5, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, passed in June 2025, provides an opportunity to facilitate internal trade and accelerate critical nation-building projects. These objectives could support good union jobs and generate lasting economic benefits for workers and communities across Canada. 

However, as it relates to Indigenous rights and implementation of the Act, we urge the government to heed the concerns of Indigenous organizations and community members regarding consultation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

Read more here.