Supporting First Nations Priorities

  • Co-developing and continuing to invest in a distinction-based Mental Health and Wellness Strategy that meets the deep and unique needs of all First Nations to address the ongoing impacts of colonization and residential schools. A co-developed mental health and wellness strategy could also respond to the prevalent opioid crisis, include culturally appropriate wraparound services for addictions and trauma, suicide and life promotion, and the building of treatment centres based on the priorities of First Nation communities.
  • Working with First Nations to ensure that the Indigenous Languages Act continues to be fully implemented, in order to preserve, promote, and revitalize Indigenous languages in Canada, supported with long-term, predictable, and sufficient funding.
  • Working with First Nations to continue to fully implement An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families with long-term, predictable, and sufficient funding to support its full implementation.
  • Continuing – in close collaboration with First Nations– to deliver distinctions-based support in response to COVID-19.
  • Continuing to develop a new national benefits-sharing framework to ensure that First Nations communities directly benefit from major resource projects in their territories.
  • We will continue to work in partnership with First Nations through the economic recovery to support the growth of First Nation economies.
  • Continuing ongoing work with First Nations to redesign federal policies on additions-to-reserves, and the Specific Claims process to provide just and timely resolution.
  • Fully implementing An Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and co-developing the Action Plan to achieve the objectives of the Declaration.
  • Continuing to work in partnership with First Nations on addressing climate change, specifically in tracking the impacts of climate change on their traditional lands and waters and charting collaborative strategies forward.
  • Working with First Nations to implement $2.2 billion over 5 years beginning in 2021-22, and $160.9 million ongoing, to address violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people through implementation of the Federal Pathway and the 2021 National Action Plan.
  • As set out in our permanent bilateral process, we commit to meet regularly with the Assembly of First Nations to make progress on First Nations priorities.