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

IQALUIT, NUNAVUT, November 15, 2002 -- Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and the Leaders of the five national Aboriginal organizations met today to discuss more concrete ways to strengthen Aboriginal participation in the economy, particularly the participation of Aboriginal women and youth.

Ministers and Leaders directed their officials to continue to focus on entrepreneurship opportunities for Aboriginal women and approved the work on two practical tools to facilitate their participation in the economy, a significant first, given that published research on the subject is lacking. One such tool, the Aboriginal Women's Business Planning Guide, will be ready in the spring 2003. Drawing on the experiences of successful Aboriginal women entrepreneurs, the Guide will provide a step-by-step approach to the basics of establishing and launching a business. In addition, a comprehensive FPTA resource guide listing employment and entrepreneurship programs and services available to Aboriginal women is being produced. The resource guide will help Aboriginal women take advantage of programs and services more easily.

Ministers and Leaders welcomed Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association as a new member of the FPTA forum.

In the spirit of the National Aboriginal Youth Strategy *, Leaders and Ministers endorsed the National Aboriginal Organizations Youth Committee (NAOYC). The NAOYC will advise and work through the FPTA Working Group on the development and implementation of Aboriginal youth programs and services. Ministers and Leaders directed officials to continue to engage NAOYC to explore how the Cultural, Economic, Political and Social (CEPS) Leadership Development Model can be further developed and implemented. This will create substantial involvement of Aboriginal Youth at the community and regional levels to achieve the principles of the National Aboriginal Youth Strategy.

Ministers and Leaders announced a National Business Summit which will be held in Toronto on February 19-20, 2003. The Summit's goal is to facilitate business partnerships that would help Aboriginal communities become economically stronger and more self-reliant. Leading business representatives from the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal private sector will join FPT Ministers and Aboriginal Leaders to network, establish and enhance partnerships with the private sector and achieve tangible results. Ministers and Leaders directed their officials to ensure that, in addition to the corporate sector, women and youth are actively involved in Summit activities. Ministers and Leaders also expressed support for a regional Aboriginal Business Summit to be held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, from March 24-26, 2003.

Ministers and Leaders identified housing and education as priorities to address and directed officials to develop strategies and recommendations for these issues and report on progress at the next meeting.

Leaders and Ministers agreed to build on their achievements to date and to focus on common objectives, with the next meeting scheduled for the fall of 2003 in Ottawa, to continue improving the quality of life of Aboriginal Peoples.

* Quebec concurs with the analysis and concerns expressed in the Report of the Working Group on Aboriginal Youth, as discussed at the 2001 National Aboriginal Youth Conference in Edmonton, and subscribes on the whole to the suggested goals. Nevertheless, Quebec intends to find solutions to the problems faced by Aboriginal youth within its own policy directions and mechanisms.

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For background information:
http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca

For additional information, please contact:

Government of Nunavut
Nino Wischnewski
Telephone (867) 975-6000

Government of Canada
Renée-Marie Filiatrault
Press Secretary to Honourable Robert D. Nault
(819) 997-0002
Ottawa: Michael Murphy
Telephone (819) 953-6616
Cellular (613) 859-3900
Iqaluit: Jennifer Hough
Telephone (867) 975-4509
Cellular (867) 975-1105

Spokesperson for Provinces and Territories
Government of Manitoba
Joe Morrisseau
Telephone (204) 945-8265

Assembly of First Nations
Richard Powless
Telephone (613) 241-6789

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Bob Gairns
Telephone (613) 747-6022
Cellular (613) 799-0918

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Pitseolak Pfeifer
Telephone (613) 238-8181 ext. 252

Métis National Council
Katelin Gillis
Telephone (613) 232-3216

Native Women=s Association of Canada
Marlene Larocque
Telephone (613) 722-3033 ext. 224

Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Association
Tracy O’Hearn
Telephone (613) 238-3977