Issues

Issue - Aboriginals
	The Liberal government vows to focus its efforts on two areas: health and education It will improve education for aboriginals by providing incentives to create comprehensive kindergarten-to-Grade 12 First Nations education systems Develop innovative and alternative ways to increase enrolment and success in post-secondary education Improve access to capital through financing vehicles The Liberals will establish an Aboriginal Health Transition Fund to create a more cohesive way of integrating provincial and territorial health care systems Work with provincial, territorial and municipal governments to provide off-reserve funding Work to improve the quality of water and wastewater treatment in First Nations communities, with $600 million already committed over five years Establish quality-of-life targets that will gauge the ongoing success of new initiatives, including a target for aboriginal communities to have clean water and adequate housing by 2008 Establish an independent Centre for First Nations Governance Invest $125 million over five years for the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy Double to $50 million support for the Urban Aboriginal Strategy When it was sworn in, Martin's new government created a new Cabinet Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, which the PM chairs Discuss with other governments and Metis governments a place for the Metis peoples in Aboriginal policies and programs

	Work to improve economic and social conditions for aboriginal Canadians

	Convene a First Ministers' conference to discuss the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples Settle land claims and encourage partnerships between the business community and aboriginals Establish an Independent Land Claims commission to decide on specific claims Train 10,000 aboriginals in health, education and social services Make housing and infrastructure programs in aboriginal communities a top priority Expand the use of traditional aboriginal justice in the criminal justice system Abandon any appeal of court decisions on Indian residential schools and negotiate fairs settlements with abuse victims Create aboriginal seats in Parliament Recognize aboriginal self-governance as a fundamental component of a modern federal state Invest in new funding, staff and facilities for First Nations with regard to health care Improve health-care services for First Nations; focus on closer-to-home solutions, rather than medical evacuations Develop a national strategy to deal with issues faced by urban aboriginals Include First Nations leaders in all talks with provincial, territorial leaders and federal health care leaders Make clean water for aboriginal communities a top priority End low-level flight testing over Innu lands

	Recognize Aboriginal rights and nations Put in place a viable economic and social contract between Quebec and Aboriginal nations

	Legislate "first use" fishing, hunting, trapping and logging rights to aboriginal and Metis people under federal jurisdiction Honor Canada's fiduciary responsibility to Aboriginal peoples Support a First Nations process that will address governance issues, legislative inconsistencies, policy inequities, reconciliation and the dismantling of the Department of Indian Affairs, if so desired Make aboriginal culture and history a mandatory component of Canadian history Deliver health care, education and other services in a way that incorporates traditional practices

Issue - Aboriginals