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Federal Response to RCAP: A Good Start
Tom Bressette, Ontario Regional Chief
January 12, 1998
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On January 7, the federal government released its much-anticipated
response to the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
(RCAP). After several years of work in the wake of the Oka Crisis,
the Royal Commission released its Report in November of 1996, setting
out over one hundred pages of detailed recommendations.
The federal response, entitled "Gathering Strength", features
a "Statement of Reconciliation", which is essentially an
apology for the community and personal damage caused by the residential
school system. The Statement is a step forward, along with the $350
million healing fund to be spent over four years. Ontario First Nations
will work to ensure that the money is spent in a fair and reasonable
way, based on need.
The Statement of Reconciliation was read into the record by Indian
Affairs Jane Stewart. Ontario Regional Chief Bressette, a member of
the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Executive, was present in Ottawa
on January 7 for the historic announcement. According to the Regional
Chief: "I think the Statement of Reconciliation is a very good
and positive start. However, the challenges we are dealing with have
accumulated over decades, even centuries. It will be necessary for
both Canada and First Nation governments to work very hard to make
the new relationship a reality."
Apart from the Statement of Reconciliation, the federal response lists
a range of potential initiatives, in areas such as youth unemployment,
economic development, and language. Of particular interest to First
Nations in Ontario may be a self-government recognition instrument
and mechanisms for renewing Treaty relationships. It appears that
approximately $225 million in new money has been committed for the
1998-99 fiscal year to get some of these initiatives off the ground.
While there is much good in the response, "Gathering Strength"
lists only general themes and objectives in the critical area of the
fiscal relationship between First Nations and Canada. Many of the
most important recommendations of the Royal Commission Report dealt
with fiscal issues. Again, it will be necessary for First Nations
and Canada to work intensively over the next couple of years to reconstruct
a nation-to-nation fiscal relationship. A positive development in
this area is early discussions geared toward the establishment of
a nation-to-nation fiscal relations table.
Even in the wake of the response, there is much partnership-building
work to do. The response lays out several important themes and objectives.
However, it is only a first installment against the numerous and sweeping
recommendations from the Royal Commission. Ontario Regional Chief
Tom Bressette commented as follows: "First Nations in Ontario
will work to implement some of the positive program commitments made
in the response. However, there is much work left to be done. A balanced
nation-to-nation process is required to address the RCAP in a serious
and long-term fashion".
The Regional Chief and the Ontario First Nations leadership, as represented
by the Planning and Priorities Committee (PPC), will be meeting Minister
Stewart on Monday, January 12, to discuss the RCAP response. This
meeting will take place from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM at the Crown Plaza
Hotel in Toronto. For more information, please contact: Jan Martin,
Acting Executive Director, Chiefs of Ontario, Toronto. Phone (416)
972-0212.
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