The United Nations is urging Canada to take immediate action to better support non-status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities.
In a new report, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities says Canada has failed to provide culturally appropriate health care, housing, and support services for this population and excluded them from major policy discussions.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) says the findings are a long-awaited confirmation of what communities have been saying for decades. National Chief Brendan Moore called it “a transformational moment” and urged the federal government to act without delay.
The UN committee highlighted serious issues, including poverty, homelessness, lack of accessible housing, and exclusion from key policy frameworks such as medical assistance in dying (MAID) and the Accessible Canada Act. It also warned that Canada’s current “distinctions-based” approach fails to reflect the full diversity of Indigenous experiences.
CAP is calling on Ottawa to publicly recognize the report and ensure meaningful inclusion in all disability and Indigenous policies, especially those affecting health, housing, and poverty.
The organization says it will continue pushing for reforms that reflect the needs of all Indigenous Peoples, regardless of status or where they live.
Written by Joseph Goden
