Ensure the implementation of pre-Confederation, historic, and modern treaties and agreements.

What success looks like

Strengthened Crown-Indigenous relationships, greater autonomy, and improved social and economic outcomes for Indigenous peoples.

Government's narrative on progress

Collaborative work with Indigenous partners is ongoing, such as through the Inuit Crown Partnership Committee Permanent Bilateral Mechanism and the annual Canada-Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations Forum (the first forum was chaired by the Prime Minister in November 2017). Issue areas addressed through these fora include: collaborative participation in the formal Implementation Committees that each modern agreement entails; renewing the fiscal relationship with self-governing Indigenous governments, structures of governments, and furthering shared priorities through participation and engagement, and improving treaty implementation. The historic treaty relationship is maintained through various policies, mechanisms and processes including treaty discussions and treaty commissions. A number of historic treaty groups are engaged with Canada in discussions toward reinvigorating the treaty relationship and exploring reconciliation-focused approaches to address treaty-related interests, including with respect to treaty implementation. The government is also supporting the implementation of the Additions to Reserve Policy Directive to ensure Canada meets its historic treaty obligations and to improve access to community lands and resources. In December of 2018, the *Addition of Lands to Reserves and Reserve Creation Act* received Royal Assent which will result in a more efficient, and transparent process; improve community access to land and resources; and increase community and economic opportunities for First Nations. Upholding the commitment made at the November 1, 2017 Forum, a second successful Canada – Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations Forum, chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by 24 Indigenous Leaders, was held on January 8, 2019. Progress made since was discussed, with particular focus on the advancement of the Collaborative Fiscal Process. Discussion also included recommendations to amend the federal *Interpretation Act* to include a universal non-derogation clause, creation of a Modern Treaties Implementation Review Commission, forgiveness of negotiation loans that have already been repaid, creation of an Implementation Policy, and views on the distinctions-based approach. Other ongoing engagement, including with respect to departmental transformation, and with modern treaty and self-governing groups will be essential to positively advancing implementation of treaties and agreements. Canada entered into a settlement (federal investment of $666 million) agreement with Ontario and the seven Williams Treaties First Nations, resolving a 95 year old land claim. As part of this agreement, Canada and Ontario acknowledged and recognized the rights of the Williams Treaties First Nations to hunt, trap, fish and gather in various pre-Confederation treaty areas in central Ontario. In October 2018, the government, in partnership with the Lubicon Lake Band and the Government of Alberta, concluded the Lubicon Lake Band No. 453 Treaty 8 Lands and Benefits Claim Settlement Agreement (federal investment of $95 million) and ancillary agreements following overwhelming community ratification. This settlement resolves the original omission of the Lubicon from Treaty 8 and addresses the grievances over this past wrong through the provision of reserve lands, compensation for the decades of loss of use of those lands and other treaty benefits and commits to the construction of significant community infrastructure. The settlement is a major step forward towards reconciliation with the Lubicon. Canada and Indigenous governments continue to engage in respectful and collaborative government-to-government discussions at regular meetings dedicated to the effective implementation of modern treaties and self-government agreements, with 48 having taken place to date in 2018-2019. In Québec, the Cree Nation Governance Agreement (signed on July 18, 2017) will modernize existing governance regimes on Cree lands. The implementing Bill on Cree Nation Governance Agreement received Royal Assent on March 29, 2018. This represents another step in implementing Cree self-governance in compliance with the 1975 James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement. It will provide the Cree First Nations and the Cree Nation Government with important tools to assume greater autonomy and responsibility in the governance of Cree community lands subject to federal jurisdiction. The Agreement on Cree Nation Governance and the Cree Constitution demonstrate that the Cree Nation Government and the Cree First Nations are mature governments. They are a step towards reconciliation and a respectful nation-to-nation relationship between the Cree and Canada in the spirit of the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement. Additions to Reserves enable Canada to fulfill legal obligations established by Treaty Lands Entitlement, Specific Claims, and other legal agreements. Expanding the reserve land base is also an important mechanism by which First Nations can foster community and economic development. A National Additions to Reserve Advisory Committee made up of Indigenous organizations and stakeholders was created in 2017 to identify and implement process improvements that will streamline and accelerate the Additions to Reserve process. There were 113 Additions to Reserve approved in 2017-2018, of which 99 represent the fulfillment of legal obligations on the part of the Crown. To date in 2018-2019, 51 Additions to Reserve have been completed, of which 40 represent the fulfillment of legal obligations. Five percent of outstanding Additions to Reserve-related legal obligations are forecasted to be addressed in 2019-2020.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.