Frequently Asked Questions

The Aboriginal youth population is growing 1.4 times faster than the non-Aboriginal population. The increase in population will have implications on the socio economic development of Canada.

Aboriginal people are facing unemployment 2 times the Canadian average rate of unemployment.

Nearly 1/3 of all deaths are related to suicide.

Gathering Strength, is the Government of Canada's response to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples Report (RCAP). The Government of Canada has made a commitment to work in partnership with Aboriginal communities and organizations to address the serious issue on employment, health and socio economic development.

Aboriginal organizations know what their community needs are and how to best meet those needs.

Agreements with Aboriginal communities to deliver labour market programming have proven to be culturally sensitive and responsive to the learning and employment needs of Aboriginal individuals.

The Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy is a major part of the Government of Canada's response to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and is a key employment-driven component of Gathering Strength - Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan.

The Strategy, which was announced in April 1999, is a five-year policy and funding commitment to improve Aboriginal people's access to jobs.

The Strategy expands on the successful RBA model, which transferred the responsibility for designing and delivering labour market programs directly to Aboriginal organizations.

National Accords signed with the Assembly of First Nations, Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Métis National Council and Native Women's Association of Canada, reflect Service Canada's commitment to working with national Aboriginal organizations in improving the employment skills of, and opportunities for, Aboriginal people.

The Strategy gives control and responsibility for designing and implementing programs to Aboriginal communities. These communities have been, and will continue to be, accountable for clear performance results.

A Results-Based Review Strategy is a standard accountability framework, which has been included in the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreements (AHRDA) to ensure program integrity and effectiveness.

• Monitoring reports,
• Quarterly reports on client reports
• Annual reports to Service Canada and community
• Expanded audits (assessing information on internal control),
• Formative (i.e. process) evaluation (self-evaluation),
• Summative (i.e. impact) evaluation,
• Self-assessment of capacity.

Service Canada monitors agreements to ensure that the expenditure of funds is done in a manner responsible to Canadian taxpayers. When issues arise or are brought to the attention of Service Canada, either through monitors or from community concerns, they are thoroughly investigated and actioned. If funds under an agreement were not spent according to the conditions of the contract, an overpayment process is established to recover funds.

If issues arise that are more serious than administrative concerns, they are referred to the appropriate authority.

Over five years, the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy invests $30 million in capacity building efforts, with the goal of increasing Aboriginal organizations' capacity to provide effective and efficient labour market programming, and improving their ability to plan, deliver and report on programs and services that meet the needs of Aboriginal clients, employers and communities.

Regional Bilateral Agreements (RBA) operated for a three-year period between 1996/1997 and 1998/1999.

Funding in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 totalled $640M. Throughout 1997-99, the process supported clients who completed their interventions. In the 1998/1999 fiscal year, 6,700 clients found employment. The RBA Initiative resulted in unpaid EI benefits of $6.5M in 1997-98 and $5.5M in 1998-99.

Financial audits by a third party were mandatory on all contracts. All audits were completed and submitted to Service Canada.

Mid-term evaluations were completed on RBA's in five regions.
Findings: There was consensus among RBA holders that programs benefited communities both economically and socially.

Capacity building to design and deliver labour market programs has been successful at the grass roots level.

There is a high degree of satisfaction among participants, who stated that without RBA support they would not have been able to access training or education.