Implementation Overview

Indigenous Program Review Implementation

The views of Indigenous people, communities, businesses and organizations shaped Indigenous Program Review recommendations about how the Department needs to improve its programs and accelerate success using three approaches:

taking practical steps to make the administration of programs more efficient
igniting a culture change across all DFO regions and sectors by approaching program renewal through the lens of truth and reconciliation – and the long-term goal of a balanced relationship between the Government of Canada and Indigenous communities
reconciling resource management by recognizing the co-management capacity of Indigenous peoples and their jurisdiction and authority over territorial resources

The Institute is tracking the Department’s progress to respond to these recommendations.

We also continue to be a co-delivery partner in the implementation of some of the IPR recommendations and the roll-out of the Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative. For example:

Our Indigenous Training and Skills Development project is assessing the investments that Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Canadian Coast Guard programs are making in training and skills development to help Indigenous communities build the capacity of their workforce.
Our British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund project is helping DFO maximize departmental and other federal government collaborations to build the services and expertise of more Aboriginal Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management groups.

As featured on indigenousoceans.ca, the Institute assessed the technical capacities and needs of Indigenous groups and communities to be involved in marine spatial planning. This work is helping the Department build marine planning and conservation programs that involve Indigenous partners and help address their technical needs.

Tracking the Progress of Program Review Implementation

On September 6, 2019, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard released an Action Plan for the renewal and expansion of its Indigenous programs in response to the 141 recommendations put forth during Indigenous Program Review. At the same time, the Minister released the Department’s Reconciliation Strategy which is guided by the Indigenous Program Review’s pivotal message: Ignite a Culture Change.

The Action Plan describes how DFO is responding to each program review recommendation and how these are reflected in the renewal of its Indigenous program. The Annex at the end of the action plan also organizes each recommendation alongside Implementation action(s), status, and timing.

The Institute continues to closely track this progress, and engages the Department on how these changes are benefitting communities and businesses. Our findings are regularly shared with the Department via an IPR Scorecard, which are available for review.

IPR represents a sea-change in how Indigenous programs are developed and how they support communities, and serves as a catalyst for cultural change in the relationship between Indigenous people and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. To help educate what IPR means in the day-to-day work of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard personnel, we produced a series of tailored reports and primers; outlining what the IPR recommendations mean at a national, regional, and sectoral-level.

These documents are found below:

Indigenous Program Review Recommendations and Implementation: Tailored Reports/Primers

Indigenous Program Review and its Recommendations: Background
Indigenous Program Review: Department- and Agency-wide Recommendations
Indigenous Program Review Implementation:
- What does it mean for all DFO and CCG Employees?
- What does it mean for the Aquaculture Sector?
- What does it mean for the Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program?

Reconciliation Strategy

The Reconciliation Strategy is a whole-of-department, long-term roadmap for advancing meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. It describes the Fisheries and Oceans Canada–Canadian Coast Guard approach to advance reconciliation in fisheries, oceans, aquatic habitat, and marine waterways.

The strategy is intended to help Ignite a Culture Change within the Department and Agency by guiding employees about why and how reconciliation matters in their day-to-day work. It includes a reporting tool to hold the Department publicly accountable for completing actions and achieving results through the Departmental Results Framework.

IPR remains a relevant force for change

All IPR recommendations were formally accepted by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard on May 24, 2019.

On June 21, 2019, DFO committed to a whole-of-department approach to reconciliation, including:

A department-wide culture change strategy
Mandatory internal reconciliation commitments for all sectors
Annual progress tracking and public reporting
Strengthened engagement with Indigenous governments and organizations
Adoption of IPR recommendations as official departmental policy

These commitments remain in force today — including the acceptance of IPR recommendations — even as DFO has undergone major structural changes since 2019.

Small blue motorboat navigating a fjord with snow-covered mountains.

Three Core Messages

When considered as part of the DFO Reconciliation Strategy, the IPR recommendations were distilled into three core Departmental messages

Take practical steps to address issues of a structural or technical nature impeding the efficient administration of programs and practices.

Ignite a culture change by approaching the renewal of programs and day-to-day operations and interactions with Indigenous groups and communities through the lens of truth and reconciliation—and the long-term goal of balanced relationships.

Reconcile resource management to respect the Constitutionally protected rights of Indigenous people in programs, practices, and policies.

Change is difficult and requires a collaborative approach

Changing culture and long-standing practices is not easy. To do so effectively and genuinely, it requires feedback from those who have been impacted the most - Indigenous people.

Our guiding principles during this process will remain grounded in clear communications, respect, openness, inclusion, and the collaborative approach – co-development, co-design and co-delivery of Indigenous programs.

Applying these principles to a shared commitment to change within the Department, the Institute produces an IPR Scorecard. We feel that it is an important feedback tool; tracking progress collaboratively, and offering insight into IPR implementation activities and challenges. Such check-ins support progress, celebrate success, and draw attention to areas requiring additional effort to advance change.

To produce this scorecard, we continue to engage Indigenous people, communities, groups, and at the regional- and local level. The recognition of change at those levels will demonstrate success on this shared path to reconciliation.