Transcription - Closing Remarks at the
Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable

DATE: April 19, 2004 - 3:55 p.m.
LOCATION: Government of Canada Conference Centre, Ottawa
PRINCIPAL(S): Andy Mitchell, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
SUBJECT: Closing Remarks at the Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable Hosted by Prime Minister Paul Martin to be Attended by Approximately 70 Aboriginal Leaders and Sectoral Experts from Across Canada

Andy Mitchell: Thank you very much Denis, Prime Minister, all of those here participating. Let me extend to you our deep thanks and appreciation for the effort and the energy that you have put into this day.

I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to also thank all of the people who have worked behind the scenes, some of them now for several weeks, in putting this together from both the part of the Aboriginal organizations as well as from the Government of Canada for all the fine work that they have done and I very much appreciate all the effort that they have put forward.

I think that we’ve accomplished a significant amount today. We’ve learned some things, Prime Minister. I think one of the things that we learned, and when we proceed with those further meetings and sectorial discussions we’ll make sure to give the opportunity to drive even deeper into the subject matters to provide the time necessary to get those things done, and we’ll make sure that we take lessons learned from the approach that we did today. Really, as we proceed, there are three overall ways in which we’re going to proceed and they’re based on the comments that you Prime Minister made this morning.

First of all, in terms of strengthening the relationship, I think that we had excellent conversations this morning about that and as the Prime Minister has asked, between the Government of Canada and the national organizations we need to chart a path, we need to understand our goals and objectives and we need to understand the strategies to achieve those and to make sure that we come to a consensus and an understanding of where it is we want to go.

In terms of some of the specific issues, in terms of health and education, economic development and education, the Prime Minister has asked his Ministers to move ahead on sectorial discussions so that we can ensure that we develop the strategic approach that will achieve the improved outcomes in terms of health, that we will have increased attainment in terms of education, that we will have better and more effective investments in economic development and that we will graduate even more and more Aboriginal Canadians out of our school system. Those sectorial discussions I know that my colleagues are committed to and to ensuring that it takes place.

Finally, as a third aspect of this Prime Minister, is the determination, your determination and direction that we need to ensure that those goals, that those objectives are expressed in a way so that Canadians can determine our progress, that we have an opportunity to report on it. We need to clearly define those goals. For instance, Phil and myself, self-government is an important role for us to achieve and there are many others that we need to enunciate and to move forward on. One of the absolute determinant things that we’ve said here today Prime Minister, and you’ve said it many times, is the absolute necessity to move forward in a collaborative way. These are solutions that are not going to come exclusively from Ministers or ministries. They’re not going to come from the federal government or provincial or territorial governments. They’re going to come collectively between us with the full participation of Aboriginal organizations and Aboriginal people. That is an absolute commitment that we have as the Government of Canada.

What that means is, as we embark on that collaborative approach, as we consult, as we have dialogue, we do so with an open slate, not with a prejudice of what the outcome may be, not with a preconceived notion of where we will end up, but rather with a determination to listen carefully, to hear the views and the perspectives and to with you build a consensus on the solutions and the means to implement and achieve those solutions. That is what we are committed to do, that is what we are determined to do and that is what I believe we have to do if we are to achieve success.

So in closing, let me once again thank all of you, and particularly you Prime Minister, for your vision and determination to have this meeting, for your vision and determination in placing this file and these issues front and centre in your government. It’s not done without some risk, it’s done, I know, because you believe it’s the right thing to do and I know your members of your government share that view. I’d now like to call on my colleague Denis to... I guess I’ve got it wrong, don’t I? I’ll do this, okay, sorry, turn the page. Anyway, I want to, in bringing this to a close, I think it would be most appropriate if we asked for Elder Bourchet to deliver a closing prayer and I would like everyone to stand if you would.

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