NA delegation explores Canada's policies for ethnic minorities

ABO/NDO- A delegation from the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA)’s Council for Ethnic Affairs is on a working trip to Canada from December 3-13 to learn about its policies related to land and forest allocation, management and livelihood development for ethnic minority groups.

The trip is part of a broader cooperation programme between the Vietnamese NA and the Government of Canada, facilitated by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Canada’s Technical Assistance Partnership - Expert Deployment Mechanism (TAP-EDM) project.

TAP-EDM is a global initiative focused on ethnic minorities and forestry policies. It is Canada’s second project dedicated to Vietnam, aiming to enhance the capacity of Vietnamese agencies, specifically the Council of Ethnic Affairs. Its goal is to develop policies that ensure the livelihoods of ethnic communities living in and relying on forests, while simultaneously protecting and sustainably developing forest resources and land.

At a working session with the Canadian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (Photo: VNA).

During the first week, the delegation held productive meetings at Alinea, which manages the project, as well as several Canadian ministries and agencies involved in indigenous relations and natural resources management.

Both sides acknowledged that while the histories and development processes of Vietnamese ethnic minorities and Canadian indigenous people differ, their policy and law-making efforts share a common goal: ensuring the livelihoods of these communities and enforcing laws that support them.

Prof. Jon Unruh from McGill University, advisor for the project, highlighted Canada’s exemplary case studies which provide the Vietnamese delegation with technical insights that could be applied in Vietnam. He also informed that an upcoming seminar is scheduled for January 2025 in Hanoi where the project’s progress will be reviewed and future steps outlined.

Vice Chairman of the council Quang Van Huong also revealed a plan to hold a briefing session with relevant ministries upon their return. This session will address challenges in policy enforcement and propose necessary adjustments to ensure that the Party's policies reach ethnic communities more quickly.
Next week, the delegation will continue their working trip to Vancouver where effective policies for indigenous communities are underway.

(Source: NDO)