Renewing the relationship: Key documents
As the Government of Canada moves forward in establishing a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, certain key documents will be consulted and made more available to Canadians through this web page. Visit this page often as we will continue to add to it.
This is not an exhaustive list. These key documents are a part of larger discussions taking place with all Canadians on topics related to Indigenous peoples. For more, please use the Government of Canada's publications index.
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New fiscal relationship
In July 2016, the Assembly of First Nations and the Government of Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding to immediately start a joint comprehensive review of their existing fiscal relationship, and develop proposals and recommendations for the design of a new fiscal relationship that moves toward sufficient, predictable and sustained funding, and lifts the 2% cap on annual funding increases to First Nations.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
The Government of Canada will support the work of reconciliation, continue the necessary process of truth telling and healing, and work with provinces and territories, First Nations, the Métis Nation, and Inuit, to implement the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Find out more:
- the 94 calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released in an executive summary in June 2015
- the Final Report released in December 2015
- next steps for the Government of Canada
Kelowna Accord
The Government of Canada is committed to renewing the spirit, intent and framework of the Kelowna Accord to help improve today's standard of living and quality of life for Indigenous Peoples.
Consult the Kelowna Accord, also known as the First Ministers and National Aboriginal Leaders Strengthening Relationships and Closing the Gap document (PDF – 75 Kb, 20 pages), on-line with Library and Archives Canada.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
In 1991, four Aboriginal and three non-Aboriginal commissioners were appointed to investigate and report back to the Government of Canada on one over-riding question: What are the foundations of a fair and honorable relationship between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of Canada? The Commission held 178 days of public hearings, visited 96 communities, consulted dozens of experts, commissioned scores of research studies, reviewed numerous past inquiries and reports. Their five-volume report was released in 1996.
Consult the summary report (called Highlights in the list below) or the full report (archived on-line with Library and Archives Canada, or PDF version from Queen's University Research and Learning Depository):
- People to People Nation to Nation: Highlights from the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996)
- Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) (online version with Library and Archives Canada)
- Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) (PDF – 15 Kb, 1 page)(PDF version from Queen's University)
- Address for the launch of the report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996)
First Nations in Canada
This brief history is used widely in schools and is one of the most frequently consulted documents on this website. Its aim is to help readers learn about the significant developments affecting First Nations communities from the pre-Contact era (before the arrival of Europeans) up to the present day. Read it on-line or download it to your e-book reader: