Ministry Overview and Core Business Areas

Ministry Overview

The Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation is central to fulfilling the government's long-term vision for the province over the next decade:

1. To make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent;
2. To lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness;
3. To build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors;
4. To lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality, and the best fisheries management, bar none; and
5. To create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada.

The ministry has a key role to create, stimulate, support and coordinate programs and policies designed to have Aboriginal people¹, whether living on-reserve or as urban populations, become engaged in and share in the benefits of reaching these Five Great Goals.

Relationship building with Aboriginal organizations and service delivery agencies will be pivotal to achieve a partnership in social and economic development.

The Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation is responsible for the negotiation of treaties and other agreements with First Nations that facilitate economic investment in the land base and natural resources, and build capacity within First Nations.

Core Business Areas

The core functions of the ministry are focused on five areas: Aboriginal relations, reconciliation, negotiations, First Citizens Fund and executive support.

1. Aboriginal Relations

In every ministry and every sector our government will foster new working partnerships with Aboriginal people that will move us beyond the barriers of the past to make real progress. Specifically, the ministry will support development of effective working relationships with Aboriginal communities. The ministry will provide integrated advice, identify opportunities, remove obstacles, and work to coordinate with the federal government where necessary, to bring about reform and stimulate change. Collaboration with Aboriginal leadership and organizations will be the cornerstone to successful public policy being measured in real outcomes. Resources to support social, education and economic opportunities will be found, in part, through the First Citizens Fund.

Although most of the new program and policies will involve working with other ministries and the federal government, the ministry is accountable for the following:

a) With the Ministry of Education: increase participation in Aboriginal child care and literacy programs, including those in Aboriginal languages.

b) With the Ministry of Health: develop B.C.'s contribution to a national blueprint to raise Aboriginal health outcomes to the average for other Canadians within a decade.

c) With the Ministry of Children and Family Development: develop a comprehensive strategy to better coordinate funding and support for Aboriginal children's services.

d) With the Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services:

(i) increase Aboriginal representation in the public service and expand access to employment opportunities through the Aboriginal Employment Partnership Initiative; and

(ii) extend broadband Internet access to 100 First Nations communities across B.C. by 2006.

e) With the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts: develop an integrated First Nations Tourism and Cultural strategy, including the celebration of the North American Indigenous Games in the Cowichan Valley in 2008.

Resources for some of these activities are facilitated through Aboriginal capacity funds for 2005 – 2006.

2. Reconciliation

This is the process that is founded on recognizing the rights and title of First Nations, acknowledging our past history and, through constructive action, building a shared future in British Columbia. It is the ministry's role to have the whole of government work with Aboriginal people to preserve languages, to highlight culture, to engage in naming programs, to respect sacred places and traditions, and to facilitate regular dialogue between Cabinet and Aboriginal organizations' political leadership to make sure that this process is honoured and respected. Resources for the ministry's work are provided from the Aboriginal Relations and Negotiations core business areas.

3. Negotiations

Negotiations are the route required to successfully reconcile First Nations rights and title in the province. The ministry provides leadership and coordination of the Crown's legal duty to consult with First Nations and to accommodate constitutionally protected Aboriginal rights.

British Columbia is firmly committed to negotiating workable, affordable treaty settlements under the British Columbia Treaty Commission process. Negotiations with First Nations, while focused on treaties as the end objective, must also produce interim agreements that facilitate economic investment in the land base and natural resources, and build capacity within First Nations.

The ministry will lead the work with First Nations to develop and implement a new consultation and accommodation framework for respecting Aboriginal rights and title in the absence of treaties. It will be founded on collaboration with First Nations and meet our common objective of accelerating economic development opportunities to create employment and capacity in Aboriginal communities across the province. This work will include development of new opportunities for revenue-sharing and, working with the Ministry of Forests, increased Aboriginal participation in British Columbia's forest industry.

By negotiating treaties and other agreements with First Nations, the ministry will create a new relationship over lands and natural resources where ownership and the rights, responsibilities and authorities of all parties are clear and predictable.

4. First Citizens Fund

The First Citizens Fund (FCF) is a perpetual fund established by the provincial government to enhance cultural, educational and economic development opportunities for Aboriginal people in B.C. Individual programs delivered by Aboriginal organizations under agreement include the following:

• Business Loan Program;
• Friendship Centre Program;
• Student Bursary Program;
• Elders Transportation Program;
• Heritage, Language and Culture Program; and
• Aboriginal Business Service Centres.

5. Executive and Support Services

Executive and Support Services includes support services required by the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation to carry out its day-to-day responsibilities, including salaries, benefits and operating expenses. Some core support services are also provided by the Ministry of Attorney General shared services.