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

   Conduct study, through Elections Canada, to identify the legislative requirements for the installation of Aboriginal people as members of Parliament and as senators on an inclusive and proportional basis

   Encourage appointment of five Aboriginal people to the Senate before the next federal election

   Engage Aboriginal people and their organizations, including the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, in the creation and formulation of a comprehensive federal Aboriginal Consultation Policy

   Begin drafting policy and legislation to provide core funding to maintain the existing conditions of repatriation of Aboriginal artifacts, regalia, and human remains, and to direct Canadian Heritage to set up an Aboriginal Museum’s Assistance Program that would aid in the reparation

   Work to improve economic and social conditions for Aboriginal Canadians

   Transfer responsibilities of Northern Development portfolio to Department of Indian and Northern Affairs to territorial and Aboriginal governments, and where necessary to appropriate federal departments

   Develop legislation to govern delivery of federal governmental programs to Aboriginals

   Replace The Indian Act (and related legislation) with legislative framework with provides for devolution of full legal and democratic responsibility to First Nations, including the Inuit

   Resolve backlog of “specific” claims to provide justice for Aboriginal claimants

   Create a First Nations Land Ownership Act, which would transfer Reserve land title from Crown to willing First Nations

   Create matrimonial property code, in conjunction with First Nations, to protect spouses and children in cases of marriage breakdown

   Offer choice in schooling for First Nations

   Recognize aboriginal self-governance as a fundamental component of a modern federal state

   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

   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 land

   Dedicate some of the recent increases in Sport Canada funding to increase access to programs to aboriginals

   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

   Honour 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

   Ensure that Health Canada has enough funding to continue Aboriginal and population-health initiatives