Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Aboriginal Matters and Leaders of National Aboriginal Organizations

Ottawa, December 15, 1999 -- Today, federal-provincial-territorial Ministers responsible for Aboriginal Affairs met with Leaders of the five national Aboriginal organizations, as a follow-up to the May 19-20, 1998, meeting in Quebec City.

Ministers and Leaders agreed to establish an on-going process that will focus on achieving practical results through cooperative initiatives, providing increased communication and information-sharing, and facilitating Aboriginal interests within governments. As part of this process, Ministers and Leaders agreed to meet on a regular basis, at least once a year, to review the work undertaken by officials. It was also agreed that this process would not replace existing mechanisms for Aboriginal involvement in various initiatives underway, nor preclude direct participation in other national or regional initiatives. Ministers and Leaders approved the public release of a federal-provincial-territorial-Aboriginal working group report on this subject.

At the meeting, Ministers and Leaders endorsed a report on a National Aboriginal Youth Strategy which focuses on addressing the needs and concerns of Aboriginal youth. The steering committee of officials was directed to monitor progress on achieving the objectives of the strategy and to report regularly to Ministers and Leaders on progress being made.*

It was agreed that planning should proceed for a national Aboriginal youth conference as early as possible in 2000 that would allow Aboriginal youth to contribute to the National Aboriginal Youth Strategy and provide a national forum to hear directly from Aboriginal youth on their issues of key concern.

Ministers and Leaders approved the public release of the National Aboriginal Youth Strategy report.

Ministers and Leaders acknowledged the importance of issues identified in the Ongoing Process Report. In particular, they directed their officials to work together through the Ongoing Process to recommend strategies and approaches to strengthen Aboriginal participation in the economy. They noted the need to address barriers to Aboriginal involvement in the economy, the importance of engaging the private sector and sharing of best practices. This work is to be undertaken in accordance with principles of diversity, equality of opportunity for all Aboriginal people, collaboration and new approaches.

Participants agreed that working together in the spirit of cooperation to address the social and economic challenges facing Aboriginal people is an important step in the formation of a positive environment to address issues of mutual concern.

* Quebec concurs in the analysis and concerns expressed in the report of the working group on Aboriginal youth and subscribes, on the whole, to the suggested goals. Nevertheless, Quebec intends to find solutions to the problems faced by young Aboriginals within the context of its own policy directions and mechanisms, specifically on the occasion of the Quebec Summit on youth.

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For information:

Government of Canada
Kelly Acton
(819) 997-0002

Government of Saskatchewan
Sean St. George
(306) 787-7151

Assembly of First Nations
Allan Torbitt
(613) 241-6789, ext. 270