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Ref: 830-616/04

Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Aboriginal Matters and Leaders of National Aboriginal Organizations
Québec, Quebec - May 19 and 20, 1998

Meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of
Aboriginal Affairs and Leaders of National Aboriginal Organizations

QUÉBEC, May 20,1998 -- Today, Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and the Leaders of the five National Aboriginal Organizations met in Québec City to discuss Socio-economic Issues and Prospects, Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, Aboriginal Youth and Economic Development. This was the first time in four years that federal-provincial-territorial Ministers of Aboriginal Affairs and Leaders of the five National Aboriginal Organizations have met.

On November 18, 1997, Premiers, Territorial Leaders and Leaders of the National Aboriginal Organizations called on the federal government to convene a meeting with Federal- Provincial-Territorial Ministers responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and National Aboriginal Leaders to address social issues related to Aboriginal Peoples, a comprehensive process of social policy renewal, the needs of Aboriginal youth and issues related to the implications for Aboriginal peoples of the administrative rebalancing of the Canadian federation.

At the meeting in Québec City, the National Aboriginal Leaders presented to the Federal- Provincial-Territorial Ministers a consensus statement of their five organizations outlining a framework of principles which underlines the urgency of undertaking a discussion of relationships between federal, provincial and territorial governments and Aboriginal governments and peoples (attached). Ministers agreed to receive and consider the consensus statement in future discussions.

Demographics demand that all Ministers and Aboriginal Leaders work together to address the urgent challenges facing Aboriginal youth and begin the development of a National Aboriginal Youth Strategy.

Ministers and National Aboriginal Leaders agreed that the Final Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples provides a solid foundation to address the needs of Aboriginal peoples.

National Aboriginal Leaders and Ministers agreed that Gathering Strength, Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan, provides a first step by the Federal government to respond to the RCAP recommendations. Provinces and territories provided an initial response to RCAP's Final Report agreeing that further cooperative approaches are required. This is an opportunity to set a new course for federal-provincial-territorial and Aboriginal relations and to work together for concrete results.

Participants confirmed the importance of accelerated measures to facilitate social and economic development for Aboriginal communities and efforts to enhance Aboriginal self- reliance.

All parties agree that effective solutions require a comprehensive, co-ordinated, and co-operative strategy. Without prejudice to the position of any party who holds a contrary view, Provincial-Territorial Ministers and National Aboriginal Leaders restated to the Federal government the issue of its treaty, constitutional and fiduciary responsibility to Aboriginal peoples. For its part, but without prejudice to the position of any party who holds a contrary view, the Federal government restated its longstanding position that it has primary but not exclusive responsibility for First Nations on reserve and Aboriginal peoples north of 60^o, and that provinces have primary, but not exclusive, responsibility for off-reserve Aboriginal peoples.

Without compromising these positions, the comprehensive approach proposes a process of cooperation between the federal government, provinces and territories and Aboriginal Peoples in developing a cross-sectoral action plan to identify strategic ways of improving the social, economic and environmental conditions for Aboriginal peoples.

A comprehensive approach is based on the premise that the federal-provincial-territorial governments, without prejudice to their respective policy positions as set out above, need to work together with Aboriginal Leaders to address the circumstances of Aboriginal peoples. This approach must also ensure that the needs of and resources for Aboriginal peoples are considered in appropriate future federal-provincial-territorial agreements or arrangements.

By taking this approach, we are setting a new course for federal provincial Aboriginal relations and will work together for practical results.

Aboriginal Leaders also reviewed the Communiqué from their meeting with Provincial Premiers of November, 18, 1997 and renewed their call that the Federal Government convene a First Ministers' Conference to enable all levels of Government to respond to the RCAP recommendations.

Ministers and Aboriginal Leaders agreed to direct officials to meet and discuss the nature, structure and priorities of an on-going process and to report back to Ministers and National Aboriginal Leaders with recommendations within three months. They also agreed to meet within one year to review progress.

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For additional information, contact:

Rob Cunningham
Saskatchewan Government
(306) 787-8008

Maryse Pesant
Department of Indian Affairs
    and Northern Development
(819) 997-9885

Peter Ives
Metis National Council
(613) 724-6928

Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS)

webmaster@scics.x400.gc.ca