The Chiefs of Ontario maintains its position opposing the Nault Governance Initiative in accordance with Resolutions 02/01 and 01/40.

1. The Work Plan developed by INAC and the BC Region actually contains four separate work plans, as follows: (1) the Nault Initiative; (2) broader Indian Act changes; (3) rights; and, (4) social and economic issues connected with the Throne Speech.
   
   
2. The Work Plan package creates the impression that real work will be proceeding on all of the issues (e.g. the Nault Initiative as well as rights). This is the basis for the INAC and BC Region argument that the Work Plan is consistent with the Halifax Resolution.
   
   
3. In fact, the only real component of the Work Plan is the Nault Initiative. The Minister has no Cabinet mandate to do anything substantive in the other areas. The Work Plan provides that the Nault Initiative will lead to legislation in the fall of 2002. However, on the other issues (e.g. rights), the only “plan” is for open-ended discussions and research. There is very little chance that the other work plans will result in anything tangible.
   
   
4. The Work Plan is misleading. It is a cover for the immediate and forced implementation of the Nault Initiative. Once the Nault Initiative is passed into law, it is practically certain that the other components of the Work Plan (e.g. rights) will fall off the table.