MONCTON, N.B. - Canada's premiers say they are staking out a greater role on aboriginal affairs now that the federal government has abandoned the $5 billion Kelowna accord to assist First Nations communities.
Aboriginal leaders and premiers attending the annual Council of the Federation conference on Wednesday plan to formalize their meetings as native people increasingly turn to the provinces for support.
Up until now, native leaders have appeared on an informal basis at the premiers' annual summer get-togethers. But Premier Shawn Graham, host of the three-day conference, said the meetings will be more organized and extensive from now on.
"We have a responsibility and we can't be hung up on the jurisdictional divide," Graham said after the private two-hour meeting with aboriginal leaders.
"We should be actively at the table advancing education, social change and other social causes in our First Nation communities. We need to take a proactive role."
However, Graham was vague on details, especially how much money the provinces would be willing to invest in improving living conditions on reserves and economic opportunities for Aboriginal Peoples.
Aboriginal affairs long have been considered the domain of the federal government.
Graham said the premiers want to get past the Kelowna accord and the federal Conservative government's opposition to the deal, which was signed with Paul Martin's Liberal government in 2005.
"We're not hung up on how the federal government wants to brand it," Graham said.
"We just want to see action and we're willing to work with the federal government in moving these issues forward."
The wide-ranging Kelowna accord would have seen $5 billion go toward native education, employment and anti-poverty initiatives.
The Conservatives had said they were committed to meeting the accord's goals, but did not support a private member's bill backed by the Liberals, Bloc Quebecois, and NDP that passed in March. As a result, the government wasn't obliged to support the accord financially.
The Tories say they are taking a more "targeted approach" to dealing with specific land claims, concluding the residential schools settlement agreement and extending human rights protection to natives living on reserves.
British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell said that while help from Ottawa is still needed, the provinces can take some actions on their own.
"We'll continue pushing the federal government to join us in closing the gaps, but I think we have to focus on what we can do," Campbell said.
Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said regular, formal meetings between First Nations leaders and the premiers will help pave the way to easing poverty and chronic unemployment among Canada's Aboriginal Peoples.
Fontaine said First Nations people respect the fact that the provinces continue to support the goals of the Kelowna accord.
"There's a provincial responsibility to the accord and we expect that each jurisdiction will now proceed to give effect to the accord," Fontaine said. "That's important for us."
Fontaine said the premiers recognize that high unemployment on Canadian reserves, especially among young people, represents an enormous untapped labour resource for the country.
Fontaine said 60 per cent of the First Nations population is under 24 years of age and represents a skilled, highly mobile labour force.
"A major report by the C.D. Howe institute has identified two major sources to ease the labour shortage in this country: immigrants and our community," Fontaine said.
"We have a very young population . . . our birth rate is twice the national average. There's a ready source there."
Fontaine said he believes the premiers realize the potential from a native workforce.
"The premiers are on side," he said.
"It's clear to everyone we need to focus on labour participation to deal with high unemployment rates in First Nation communities."
Canada's 13 premiers are in Moncton for their three-day annual conference. Environmental issues are expected to dominate discussions.
