Welcome to the website of Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs. I hope that you will find our site informative and that it provides you with an understanding of the work of our department and the people we serve.

As defined in The Northern Affairs Act, northern Manitoba covers more than 82 per cent of our province and contributes significantly to the provincial economy with abundant resources such as forestry, fishing, minerals and hydroelectric power.

Manitoba has the largest number of Aboriginal people per capita of any province in Canada of which a large segment are aged sixteen or under. Many Aboriginal people continue to experience high unemployment, poor health, low educational achievement and high rates of incarceration compared to the general population. While some progress is being made, we believe it is critical for the future prosperity of our province to find solutions and create meaningful jobs for our rapidly growing Aboriginal workforce.

In addition to policy and program initiatives directed to the issues noted above, our department supports municipal services and encourages local government development in fifty northern Manitoba communities.

Thank you for your interest in Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs. I invite you to contact us to share your thoughts and suggestions on how we might improve the site to serve you better.

Sincerely,

Oscar Lathlin
Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs