Canada's Performance 2005: The Government of Canada's Contribution

4. Aboriginal Peoples

Introduction

Last year, this chapter focussed on the social and economic conditions of Aboriginal people. This year, the chapter focusses on the Aboriginal Horizontal Framework. This Framework, developed over the past 18 months, arranges all federal programs and services directed specifically to Aboriginal people in Canada under seven thematic headings. These seven themes were developed as a response to the Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable. By organizing the programs and services in this manner, the federal government hopes to give a far clearer and more detailed picture of the extent and objectives of federal programs targeted to Aboriginal peoples. It is also hoped that the Framework will prove to be a useful tool to help federal departments and agencies obtain better results by managing their programs more effectively.

The work on the Framework began on April 19, 2004, when Prime Minister Paul Martin opened the first-ever Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable. This marked a step forward in improving the relationship between the Government of Canada and Aboriginal peoples. It was during this Roundtable that the federal government made a commitment to improve program results and the accountability relationships that frame their delivery. This includes working with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis organizations, provinces, and territories to clarify roles and improve the federal government's transparency, accountability, and reporting on Aboriginal programs. In the January 2005 accountability for results session, the federal government committed to disclosing a detailed picture of direct federal program spending in 2004-05 targeted to Aboriginal peoples in Canada. This chapter, a first step in meeting this commitment, contains figures on federal spending rolled up for all programs within each thematic area.

In 2004-05, 34 federal departments and agencies have worked together to develop the Aboriginal Horizontal Framework. The Framework's seven thematic areas are as follows: health, lifelong learning, safe and sustainable communities, housing, economic opportunities, land and resources, and governance and relationships (See Figure 4.1). Federal departments identified sub-themes and strategic outcomes to provide more structure and logic to numerous programs.

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The fully detailed Aboriginal Horizontal Framework is available at the following Web site: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/aaps-aapd/intro.aspx?Language=EN. It includes additional information on the specific programs, including actual spending for 2004-05.

This is a first step toward increased transparency about-and improved horizontal management of-federal programs; the data presented here are therefore limited. The Framework, for example, does not capture the Aboriginal share of programs of general application, which are available to all Canadians, such as the benefits of employment insurance or the tax system. Nor does it cover general application program spending in regions where First Nations and Métis people and the Inuit, make up a proportionately high percentage of the population, for instance, north of the 60th parallel. These limitations underline that much further work is needed to refine the data, to complete the spending picture, and to enhance the Framework to be a useful management tool.

The Framework is not meant to be static; it will evolve to reflect new directions in federal policies and programs that emerge from the engagement of Aboriginal peoples with governments. The goal is to keep the Framework up-to-date so that it retains its usefulness for governments and Aboriginal people.

The Government of Canada's contribution with respect to Aboriginal peoples

The federal government has a unique relationship with the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. This special relationship is expressed through the fact that Aboriginal peoples are the only citizens of Canada that are specifically mentioned in the Constitution. The Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Métis people and the Inuit are protected by section 35 of The Constitution Act, 1982. Because of these constitutional rights, the federal, provincial, and territorial governments are obliged by law to take Aboriginal rights into consideration in their legal and political work.

For First Nations people, the Indian Act further defines many aspects of their relationship with Canada. The Indian Act establishes certain federal government obligations in relation to First Nations communities. It also provides for the management of Indian reserve lands, Indian moneys, and other resources.

In addition to treaties and legislation, the federal government provides extensive programs in its efforts to reduce the disparity in life opportunities between Aboriginal people in Canada and Canadians. On many indicators of well-being, such as educational attainment, employment, or health, the results for Aboriginal people are unacceptable. The importance of working together with Aboriginal people and provincial and territorial governments to address these concerns has been outlined not only by the Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable but also in the October 2004 Speech from the Throne.

The goal of the Government of Canada is to create the conditions for long-term success in learning, economic opportunities, modern institutions, and governance, all while respecting historical rights and agreements. This year's budget announced $1.4 billion as part of the Government of Canada's commitment to a renewed partnership with Aboriginal people. It includes $735.0 million in new investments in housing, special education, and early learning and childcare. These programs are aimed at ensuring that Aboriginal people and communities share the country's prosperity, with a focus on children, youth, and their families.

Several sectoral follow-up sessions arose as a result of the Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable. Representatives of federal departments, national Aboriginal organizations, and other experts all participated in these sessions to discuss how to proceed in the following key policy areas: health, lifelong learning, housing, economic opportunities, negotiations, and accountability for results. The culmination of this work was the May 31, 2005, policy retreat, where the Prime Minister and members of the federal government met with leaders of five national Aboriginal organizations. Political accords were signed with each of the national Aboriginal organizations and the federal government. These accords reflect the commitment by all parties to ensure that First Nations and Métis people and the Inuit can realize their aspirations and share in the overall prosperity of Canada.

Federal government expenditures in Aboriginal programs

As displayed in the Aboriginal Horizontal Framework, in 2004-05, 34 federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations provided 360 programs and services targeted to Aboriginal people with total expenditures of approximately $8.2 billion (see figure 4.2). Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) spends 61.5 per cent and Health Canada spends 21.0 per cent of this amount toward core services for First Nations people on-reserve and the Inuit, such as education, health, infrastructure, and social development. Other federal departments also provide a wide range of programs and services that benefit various Aboriginal groups, including First Nations people, the Inuit, Métis people, Aboriginal women, urban Aboriginal people, and Aboriginal people living in rural and remote communities.

In addition to the $8.2 billion, the federal government funds pan-Canadian programs and provincial or territorial funding transfers that benefit all Canadians, including Aboriginal peoples. Provinces and territories also have their own suite of programs and services for Aboriginal people living off-reserve and in the North to improve their quality of life.

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This chapter includes information on federal government expenditures in the following seven thematic areas and their respective outcomes:

1. Health: improved health of Aboriginal peoples;

2. Lifelong learning: maximized participation and success in early learning, education, training, and skills development built on Aboriginal heritage;

3. Safe and sustainable communities: Aboriginal communities are safe, stable, and sustainable;

4. Housing: Aboriginal people have improved access to suitable, adequate, affordable housing and related support;

5. Economic opportunities: sustainable wealth creation and participation in the economy;

6. Lands and resources: sustainable use and management of First Nations and Inuit lands and resources by First Nations people and the Inuit; and

7. Governance and relationships: sound Aboriginal governance and support of institutional capacity and clarification of the respective roles in the relationship.

Supplemental Information

Aboriginal peoples

Aboriginal demographics

Performance context

The Aboriginal Horizontal Framework enables the Government of Canada to begin working with Aboriginal communities and organizations to develop meaningful performance measures to evaluate its performance and determine whether its key commitments and goals are being met. Until these measures are developed, indicators such as life expectancy and infant mortality rates, which have been tracked by Statistics Canada for the 2001 Census, illustrate the current level of progress. In the electronic version of the report, clicking on indicators in the Performance Highlight table will lead you to detailed information about current performance and trends.

Note: The legend summarizing the symbols used in the table above can be found in the introduction, on page 2.

Why is it important?

Improving the health of Aboriginal people is fundamental to creating the conditions for individuals and communities to participate productively in society. Although the majority of Canadians are much healthier than ever before, major disparities still exist between the health of Canadians and that of Aboriginal people in Canada. The health status of Aboriginal people remains substantially poorer than that of the general Canadian population, despite improvements over the past 20 years.

The Government of Canada is working to improve the health of Aboriginal communities, but there is still much to be done. On September 13, 2004, the Prime Minister chaired a special meeting with first ministers and Aboriginal leaders to discuss joint actions to improve Aboriginal health and adopt measures to address this disparity. Following the meeting, the federal government announced a series of new commitments to improve health services and reduce the gap in health status between Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people, such as $200.0 million for the Aboriginal Health Transition Fund, $100.0 million for the Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative, and $400.0 million for health promotion and disease prevention programs.

The Government of Canada's expenditures and programs related to the health of Aboriginal people

Health Canada is the main federal department that provides programming in this area and its programming is mainly targeted to First Nations communities. In addition, in 2004-05, a total of 5 departments and agencies contributed $1.8 billion to the pursuit of improved health of Aboriginal people through the provision of 68 programs and services.

The primary federal role is to ensure access to health services for First Nations and Inuit communities. For instance, the federal government works to ensure that, regardless of residency, First Nations people and the Inuit have access to the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program, including coverage for drugs, dental benefits, vision care, provincial health premiums, crisis intervention, and mental health counselling. The federal government also works to ensure health promotion and prevention programs and public health activities are available to First Nations communities and that primary care services are available to First Nations people living in remote and isolated communities where no provincial services exist. While the federal government provides funding for such programs, First Nations communities often deliver the programs.

In the territories, the federal government has devolved health services to the territorial governments. The federal government nevertheless continues to deliver some targeted programs to First Nations people and the Inuit in the territories, mostly in the areas of prevention and promotion activities.

Clicking on the links in the electronic version of the following table will lead you to detailed program and expenditure information related to health programs.

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Supplemental Information

Safe water treatment

Performance context

The Aboriginal Horizontal Framework enables the Government of Canada to begin working with Aboriginal communities and organizations to develop meaningful performance measures to evaluate its performance and determine whether its key commitments and goals are being met. Until these measures are developed, indicators such as educational attainment, which have been tracked by Statistics Canada for the 2001 Census, illustrate the current level of progress. In the electronic version of the report, clicking on the indicator in the Performance Highlight table will lead you to detailed information about current performance and trends.

Note: The legend summarizing the symbols used in the table above can be found in the introduction, on page 2.

Why is it important?

Lifelong learning is defined as the acquisition of knowledge and skills throughout an individual's lifespan. Participation in the full spectrum of lifelong learning facilitates the ability of Aboriginal people to develop the knowledge and skills to reinforce and strengthen their Aboriginal identity, fully participate in the Canadian economy, and enjoy quality of life outcomes comparable to those of Canadians. Studies have shown that education is the single greatest contributor to closing the gap between Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people. It is recognized that there is a strong correlation between a culturally relevant curriculum, learning programs that reflect Aboriginal values, traditions, and languages, and achieving positive education outcomes for Aboriginal students. It is therefore essential that lifelong learning take place within the context of language and cultural renewal.

The Government of Canada's lifelong learning expenditures and programs for Aboriginal people

In 2004-05, 14 federal departments and agencies contributed $1.9 billion toward the pursuit of maximized participation and success in early learning, education, training, and skills development built on Aboriginal heritage through the provision of 59 programs and services.

In the area of early learning and childcare, the federal government funds core services for First Nations and Inuit communities, such as elementary and secondary education and special education. These programs are administered and delivered at the community level. Budget 2005 announced additional funding of $100.0 million for First Nations and Inuit early learning and childcare and $120.0 million for special education for First Nations children living on-reserve.⁽¹⁾ Provinces and territories provide early learning and childcare programs and elementary and secondary education programs for children living off-reserve, including for Inuit and Métis children.

The federal government also provides support to Aboriginal learners in accessing post-secondary education. For instance, INAC provides $297.6 million for Post Secondary Education for Inuit and Status Indian students living on- and off-reserve. In addition, Canadian Heritage provides endowments of $22.0 million to the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation to provide scholarships to all Aboriginal students, including Métis and Aboriginal students living in urban centres.

Further along the lifelong learning continuum, the federal government has implemented the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy, a major career and skills development program geared to First Nations and Métis people and the Inuit. In keeping with the need expressed by all Aboriginal peoples to acknowledge the importance of language and culture, there are over 28 programs offered by 6 departments and agencies in the following categories: cultural heritage and history (2), Aboriginal languages and living cultures (14), and artistic expression (12).

Clicking on the links in the electronic version of the following table will lead you to detailed program and expenditure information related to programs and services offered along the lifelong learning continuum.

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Why is it important?

Aboriginal communities are located within all regions of Canada, on reserves, on lands owned and managed by Aboriginal people, on Crown land, and in urban and rural settings. A safe and sustainable community provides a socio-economic and physical infrastructure base for Aboriginal people to build their lives upon and to respond to the diverse challenges they face. Fundamental elements of safe and sustainable Aboriginal communities include access to basic infrastructure services such as water, sanitation facilities, roads, and electrical services. It also includes access to emergency services such as effective, community-based crime prevention, police services, justice approaches, correctional and parole services, and emergency management assistance. Culturally appropriate policing, justice, and correctional initiatives that are sensitive to the needs and current realities of Aboriginal people are key components of safety in many Aboriginal communities.

Another element of safe and sustainable communities is strengthened individual, family, and community well-being. This requires effective social and community support that is inclusive, holistic, and culturally based, both on- and off-reserve, with programming for Aboriginal women and youth and support for Aboriginal friendship centres.

The Government of Canada's expenditures and programs for Aboriginal communities that are safe, stable, and sustainable

In 2004-05, 15 federal departments and agencies contributed to the pursuit of safe, stable, and sustainable Aboriginal communities through the provision of 87 programs and services, with a total cost of $2.4 billion. The goal of these programs and services is to ensure that the basic needs of Aboriginal people are met and that the safety and well-being of individuals and families are assured.

The majority of INAC programs provide funding to First Nations communities to deliver basic services such as income assistance, child and family services, and capital infrastructure, including support to help resolve water quality concerns in First Nations communities. The 2005 Budget announced an additional $125.0 million over five years to help better meet the needs of First Nations communities in delivering such basic services.

Programs provided by federal departments help to promote community well-being; these are generally inclusive of all Aboriginal peoples. Examples include the Aboriginal pillar of the National Crime Prevention Program or the Aboriginal Justice Strategy. Some programs are targeted to specific Aboriginal groups, such as the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, which is a series of pilot projects pioneering innovative ways to meet the unique needs facing the urban Aboriginal population in Canada, non-status Indians, and Métis people. Finally, in some areas the federal government is working with provinces, territories, and Aboriginal groups to improve community stability and safety, such as the tripartite First Nations Policing Program, which is helping First Nations communities create a safer and more stable environment.

Clicking on the links in the electronic version of the following table will lead you to detailed program and expenditure information on programs related to safe, stable, and sustainable communities.

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Supplemental Information

Aboriginal communities

Justice practices

Aboriginal incarceration rate