First Nations leaders are calling on Canada to follow the Pope’s lead and formally repudiate all laws rooted in the Doctrine of Discovery.
Issued in 1493, the Doctrine, and the Papal Bulls associated with it, gave European settlers legal claims over Indigenous lands.
Pope Francis formally rejected the Doctrine last week, saying it was manipulated by colonial powers to justify immoral acts against Indigenous peoples.
While several Federal ministers agreed with the Pope’s conclusion, they have yet to take concrete action to address the issues.
Part of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act calls the Doctrine legally invalid, yet many policies and laws remain based on it.
But, they have committed to developing a Covenant of Reconciliation with Indigenous partners to address its rejection.
In doing so, the Government would also be responding to Calls to Action number 45 and 47 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
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