Thank you, President.
Action Canada delivers this statement on behalf of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) and the SRI.
We thank the Working Group for its visit to Canada and for its comprehensive report.
We remain deeply concerned about the mass incarceration of Indigenous peoples, particularly Indigenous women and gender-diverse individuals. While Indigenous people make up only 5 percent of the Canadian population, they represent 32 percent of those in federal custody and half of all federally incarcerated women. This reflects the ongoing impacts of colonialism, systemic discrimination, and trauma.
Solitary confinement persists under the new name of “Structured Intervention Units,” which often replicate its torturous conditions and disproportionately affect Indigenous people. Federal priorities continue to favor carceral punishment over the social investments needed to address the root causes of incarceration.
Investment in social programs, mental health care, housing, community reintegration, and culturally appropriate justice alternatives is fundamental to ending systemic discrimination and preventing further violations of Canada’s human rights obligations.
Canada has received consistent recommendations from this Working Group, the UPR, CEDAW, and other treaty bodies. Yet progress remains minimal. We therefore ask the Government of Canada to work with us and other civil society actors to implement a concrete plan to end Indigenous mass incarceration, eliminate solitary confinement, and realize other human rights recommendations.
Thank you.