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

Winnipeg, MB. April 17, 2013: Today, provincial and territorial Ministers of Aboriginal Affairs and Leaders from the five National Aboriginal Organizations confirmed further actions to be taken to address the unique challenges and opportunities of First Nations regardless of status or residency,
Inuit and Métis Peoples.

Since 2009, the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group (AAWG) has provided national leadership and worked together on three priority areas to:

   
• close the graduation gap;
   
• close the income gap; and,
   
• end violence against Aboriginal women and girls.

Ministers and Leaders agreed to actions in the following priority areas:

Closing the Graduation Gap:

   
• Endorse the joint work plan of AAWG and Council of Ministers of Education Canada (CMEC) on shared priorities.
   
• Endorse the inventory of Aboriginal education related provincial and territorial initiatives and agreements that are promising approaches to increasing Aboriginal graduation rates.
   
• Identify opportunities to build and foster relationships among partners to address the education challenges and opportunities of First Nations regardless of status or residency, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

Closing the Income Gap:

   
• Support practices in Aboriginal communities that have increased opportunities and participation in economic development.
   
• Endorse further additions to the AAWG economic development success stories website (www.aawgecdev.ca).
   
• Share activities and best practices related to developing increased Aboriginal entrepreneurship, employment training and business development programs and strategies for First Nations regardless of status or residency, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

Ending Violence against Aboriginal Women and Girls

   
• Received recommendations of the Third National Aboriginal Women's Summit hosted by Manitoba in November 2012.
   
• Discussed FORSAKEN: the British Columbia Report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry 2012; amongst other reports and best practices.
   
• Acknowledging that Parliament has agreed to appoint a Special Committee on the matter of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada, Premiers and Ministers in attendance support the National Aboriginal Organizations Leaders call upon the Federal Government to hold a National Public Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls, and that the Federal Government consult with the Provinces, Territories and National Aboriginal Organizations on the terms of reference of the National Public Inquiry.
   
• Explore further actions for prevention and support of Aboriginal women and girls at risk.
   
• Exchange information and promote collaboration between the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Justice Table and the AAWG.

Other areas of consideration:

   
• Approved plan to inventory current Aboriginal Housing initiatives and conditions of First Nations regardless of status or residency, Inuit and Métis Peoples, in cooperation with existing Federal-Provincial-Territorial Housing Forums.
   
• Identified need for disaster mitigation strategies with the federal government on reserve and to improve disaster mitigation and emergency management in Aboriginal communities.

The AAWG is composed of Ministers of Aboriginal Affairs from all provinces and territories and the Leaders from the five National Aboriginal Organizations (Assembly of First Nations, Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Métis National Council, and Native Women's Association of Canada). They continue to call on the federal government to join the AAWG as a partner to advance these priorities.

Next Steps:
Ministers and Leaders acknowledge the importance of continued cooperation on Aboriginal Affairs. This includes focusing on increasing efforts to support safe communities and prevent violence against Aboriginal women and girls, enhancing skills training and educational opportunities, building strong working relationships with Aboriginal communities to support economic development, working to address housing challenges and working with the federal government to enhance disaster support services.

The Aboriginal Affairs Working Group will continue to provide national leadership on these and other issues to further support and ensure a strong future for Aboriginal communities across the country. The results of today’s meeting will be shared with the Premiers at the next meeting with the National Aboriginal Organization Leaders this coming July 24, 2013 at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Ministers and Leaders agreed to meet again in November 2013 to discuss progress on these activities.

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Contact:

Jean-Marc Prevost
Cabinet Communications
204-945-1495
Jean-Marc.Prevost@leg.gov.mb.ca

 

"As Ministers and National Aboriginal leaders we  share common goals of reducing barriers to education success and ending violence against Aboriginal women and girls. Through AAWG we work together to help make that happen."
Honorable Eric Robinson Deputy Premier, Manitoba Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs.
 

“Building a stronger Canada means building stronger Aboriginal communities. I am pleased to see that the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group continues to provide national leadership in working with Aboriginal communities to improve conditions. It is important that we make progress in increasing the graduation rates for Aboriginal students, support economic development in Aboriginal communities and take action to end violence against Aboriginal women and girls.”
Honorable David Zimmer, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs

“Prosperous Aboriginal communities are essential to the strength of our provinces, territories, and all of Canada,” said Brian Skabar, Ministerial Assistant to the Nova Scotia Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.  “Together, we are building capacity and are collaborating to grow our economy, create good jobs and build strong, sustainable, diverse and vibrant communities.”

“The Aboriginal Affairs Working Group meetings are an excellent venue to share ideas and help create conditions that foster stronger economies and an enhanced quality of life for all Aboriginal people across Canada.” said New Brunswick Premier Honorable David Alward, who is also Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs. “Our collaborative approach serves to stimulate discussion on moving forward with Aboriginal economic development, education and reducing violence against Aboriginal women and Girls. The recommendations we endorse today will be discussed in greater detail at the annual Council of the Federation meeting taking place this summer.”

“I am pleased that Yukon can offer its experiences and expertise to the important work of improving quality of life for Aboriginal Canadians,” Premier Darrell Pasloski said. “National leadership is essential in moving forward on issues important to Yukon and the rest of Canada, such as addressing the education gap and ending violence against Aboriginal women and girls.”
-Yukon Premier Honorable Darrell Pasloski

"In the Northwest Territories, we have long seen and understood the benefit of strong relationships and working in partnership with Aboriginal governments. These partnerships are critical to our success as a territory and the Government of the Northwest Territories actively seeks to involve Aboriginal governments in its decisions, initiatives and activities in a spirit of respect, recognition and responsibility. I believe that the on-going dialogue and the sharing of information through the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group has and will continue to strengthen relationships amongst provinces, territories and National Aboriginal Organizations. I am confident that our continued collaboration on priority areas of mutual interest will help improve the well-being of Aboriginal peoples throughout Canada and help create prosperity for all Canadians."
Honorable Bob McLeod, Premier and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, Northwest Territories

“The Aboriginal Affairs Working Group is important in helping to ensure priority areas for advancement are brought to the annual meeting of Premiers through the Council of the Federation – taking place at Niagara-on-the-Lake this July.  The real work toward change that will see First Nations thrive continues daily, and we must see every government and jurisdiction engaging directly with First Nations to ensure they are supported to drive their own solutions – quality education and schools for our children, justice and safety for healing and the most vulnerable, and respect and support for sustainable, community-based economic development plans. 
Assembly of First Nations, National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo.

I am pleased with the progress that the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group is making in preparation for our meeting with Premiers, at the annual Council of Federation Meetings in July.  As the National Chief for the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, I will be advocating on behalf of over 600, 000 Aboriginal Peoples living off-reserve, to ensure that have equal access to economic and education programs to help improve their standard of living.”
 Betty Ann Lavallée, CD, (Ret’d) National Chief Congress of Aboriginal People

Métis National Council President Clément Chartier stressed the importance of a distinctions-based approach to addressing issues by the AAWG: "The work we have been doing on a long-term Métis economic development strategy provides clear evidence of the practical and meaningful progress that can be achieved when we have Ottawa, the five westernmost provinces and the Métis Nation fully engaged in a distinctions-based, regionally focused process."

The issues affecting the safety and well-being of Aboriginal women in Canada are matters that must be addressed by all levels of government and must include the full participation of Aboriginal women to ensure that the solutions that are developed will effectively address their many challenges.  The NWAC is committed in continuing to work collaboratively and in full and equal partnership with provincial/territorial governments and other National Aboriginal Organizations to bring about positive change in their economic status, a higher education attainment and lives that are free of all forms of violence.
Michèle Audette, President, Native Women’s Association of Canada