Congress of Aboriginal Peoples PRESS STATEMENT

UN Recognition of Non-Status, Off-Reserve Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Marks Transformational Moment

June 26, 2025

This is a deeply meaningful affirmation for our communities. For too long, off-reserve and non-status Indigenous persons with disabilities have been left out of critical conversations and decisions. The United Nations has now made it clear: we must be included, and our needs must be prioritized in national policy and reform efforts.

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) applauds the findings of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in its Concluding Observations on Canada’s combined second and third periodic reports. The Committee explicitly acknowledged the rights, needs, and lived realities of non-status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities, a significant affirmation of the long-standing advocacy of CAP and its communities.

The CRPD’s report raises serious concerns about Canada’s failure to uphold the rights of Indigenous persons with disabilities, particularly those not covered under distinctions-based frameworks. The Committee found that Canada has excluded non-status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities from consultation, neglected to provide culturally appropriate health and rehabilitation services, and failed to apply principles of self-determination and sovereignty to CAP’s constituency.

Among the CRPD’s key findings:

• Lack of meaningful consultation: The Committee noted inadequate engagement of off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities in major decisions, including those related to medical assistance in dying (MAID) and accessibility legislation.
• Systemic poverty and housing insecurity: The report highlighted disproportionately high rates of poverty, homelessness, and lack of accessible housing, especially among non-status and off-reserve Indigenous women with disabilities.
• Gaps in health services: Canada has failed to provide culturally appropriate habilitation and rehabilitation services, leaving many in urban and rural areas without essential supports.
• Exclusion from distinctions-based policy: Canada’s current approach does not reflect the diversity of Indigenous experiences, failing to align with UNDRIP principles for all Peoples.

“This is more than a report—it is a call to action,” said National Chief Brendan Moore. “The UN has given us a clear directive. Now, the Government of Canada must act to ensure these findings are not just acknowledged but implemented in a way that includes all Indigenous Peoples, regardless of status or residency.”

CAP is calling on the Government of Canada to:

• Publicly recognize the CRPD’s findings and commit to formally including non-status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities in all federal accessibility, health, housing, and Indigenous programs.
• Ensure representation in federal consultation and advisory structures under the Accessible Canada Act, the Disability Inclusion Action Plan, and MAID review processes.
• Develop targeted, culturally appropriate supports, including housing, poverty reduction, mental health, and disability services for non-affiliated urban and rural Indigenous populations.
• Align UNDRIP implementation with CRPD standards, ensuring the principles of self-determination and sovereignty apply to all Indigenous Peoples.

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples will continue to work with federal departments, parliamentarians, and civil society to ensure these recommendations lead to real, measurable change.

“As one of Canada’s national Indigenous representative organizations, CAP will not allow this moment to pass without action,” said Chief Moore. “We are committed to ensuring that the voices of non-status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities are no longer ignored but empowered and respected in every policy space.”

Media Contact:

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples

Email: media@abo-peoples.org

Phone: 613-747-6022

Website: www.abo-peoples.org

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is the national voice representing the interests of Métis, status and non-status Indians, and Southern Inuit Indigenous Peoples living off-reserve. Today, over 80% of Indigenous people live off-reserve.