A cooperative and asymmetric federalism
THE ISSUE OF FIRST NATIONS PEOPLES

Several problems

The situation in which the First Nations Peoples find themselves in today is dire. Their life expectancy is much lower than other Canadian citizens. Their crime and suicide rates, on the other hand, are staggeringly high. We must act now in order to stop this downward spiraling social crisis.

The problem is completely fundamental: it has its roots in the Indian Act, a colonial and paternalistic piece of legislation.

In 1997, the Federal Government received recommendations from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (the Erasmus-Dusseault report). Unfortunately, this remarkable piece of work, which outlined a plan of action for the next twenty years, has been shelved.

Some solutions

The relationship between Canada and the First Nations Peoples must change. It must be rebuilt upon mutual respect and the fundamental right to self-determination. Indeed, these steps must be taken with respect to a cooperative and asymmetric federalism.

In our first mandate, we will adopt a plan of action that will act upon the spirit of the recommendations from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. We will gradually implement an autonomous government for the First Nations communities. More precisely, our priorities will be the following:

• Negotiate territorial demands as well as natural resource management (fisheries, forestry, agriculture);
• Negotiate conditions for the transfer of powers for social programmes, health, and education to First Nations communities;
• Invest in community economic and cooperative development within First Nations communities (most notably by adapting the Local Cooperative
• Investment Funds to fit the reality of First Nations communities);
• Adopt stable measures to finance First Nations governments;
• Revise and renegotiate fiscal policy to allow First Nations Peoples to contribute to the Canadian tax effort.