Friend or faux? Trudeau, Indigenous issues and Canada’s brand

Abstract

Canada and Canadians often consider themselves to be a force for good in the world. Does that self-perception hold true with Indigenous issues? This article evaluates Canada’s brand with respect to international Indigenous issues historically, as well as contemporarily under the leadership of the Trudeau government, with a focus on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Arctic Council. Canada’s record is shown to be mixed, with a history of diminishment of Indigenous rights on the world stage, paired with real leadership and commitment to partnership in regional Arctic governance. However, there is little evidence that Canada’s treatment of its Indigenous peoples, which has risen as a key domestic policy issue in the wake of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, has affected its international brand. More concretely, domestic angst and discomfiture with regards to Canada’s relationship with its Indigenous peoples could lead to a downplaying of Canada’s reputational strengths of diversity and tolerance.

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