According to a recent report from the Canadian Human Rights Commission, freedom from discrimination remains an elusive goal for Aboriginal people.
The CHRC recently published a special report on the impacts of Bill C-21.
The legislation took effect in 2008 and gave First Nations people the chance to file human rights complaints against their governments.
Since the bill’s inception, the commission has received more than 500 complaints against the federal and First Nations governments.
However, despite the progress, the CHRC report says Aboriginal people continue to face barriers in human rights justice.
According to the commission’s report, poverty, lack of awareness and fear of retaliation are some of the factors inhibiting the number of claims submitted.
The CHRC says a larger societal change at all levels of government is required to begin to address the human rights barriers facing Aboriginal people today.