Canada supports the efforts of Saskatchewan Indigenous groups to rebuild their nations

From: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

News release

July 18 2019 – Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan – Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

The Government of Canada has committed to transformative change to renew relationships with Indigenous peoples, and continues to support Indigenous groups seeking to rebuild their nations in a manner that responds to the priorities and unique needs of their communities.

Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, announced that Canada has provided $1,600,000 this fiscal year to five Indigenous groups in Saskatchewan through the Nation Rebuilding Program. This week Minister Bennett met with Tribal Chief Richard Ben of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, one of the funding recipients, to learn more about their communities' unique priorities and needs relating to rebuilding their nation.

Made possible by Budget 2018, the Nation Rebuilding Program provides funding to support activities facilitating Indigenous groups' own path to reconstituting their nations. The program is an important step forward in renewing nation-to-nation relationships, improving their well-being and economic prosperity and developing healthier, more sustainable communities.

Quotes

"Strong and self-reliant nations are critical to advancing the priorities and needs of their constituent communities. Investments in nation-rebuilding activities, like those with Meadow Lake Tribal Council and other Indigenous groups in Saskatchewan, are one way we are working together to support our mutual goal for a renewed nation-to-nation relationship."

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, M.D., P.C., M.P.
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

"MLTC wants to thank Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Treaties and Aboriginal Government branch for their continued support. The role and scope of governments, including First Nation governments, is complex. In order for our communities to make advances in education, health, justice and economic matters, we need programs like the Nation Rebuilding Program.

Good decisions and good communications are critical to law making and nation building; nation building leads to effective, accountable and transparent governments. This is the ultimate goal of our leaders."

Tribal Chief Richard Ben
Meadow Lake Tribal Council

Quick facts

  • The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) recommended that Indigenous groups should begin to reconstitute themselves as nations.

  • Under the Nation Rebuilding Program, $100 million in funding has been made available for five years starting in 2018-19 to support Indigenous groups of the same nation coming together to build capacity at the nation level.

  • The five Indigenous groups in Saskatchewan who will receive Nation Rebuilding funding for 2019-20 are: the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, the Saskatoon Tribal Council, Treaty 10, Treaty 4 Nations, and the Whitecap Dakota First Nation.

Associated links

Contacts

For more information, media may contact:

Matthew Dillon-Leitch
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
819-997-0002

Media Relations
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
819-934-2302
RCAANC.media.CIRNAC@canada.ca

Stay connected

Join the conversation about Indigenous peoples in Canada:

Twitter: GovCan – Indigenous
Facebook: GovCan – Indigenous peoples
Instagram: @gcIndigenous


You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.cirnac.gc.ca/RSS

Page details

Date modified: