Characteristic of a Nation-to-Nation Relationship

Over the course of the past 30 years – from Section 35 negotiations, through the Royal Commission, to the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission – Indigenous leaders have articulated the many aspects of what the Nation-to-Nation relationship means. [...] Establishing a new relationship with the Crown includes Indigenous self-government founded in self-determination; legal capacity and access to resources; the recognition of inherent Indigenous and Treaty rights, as well as the ability to exercise and implement inherent rights and responsibilities; treaty renewal and treaty implementation; fiscal arrangements and resource revenue sharing; and closi [...] Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) defining joint priorities between the parties, including establishing a process to, among other things, to facilitate relationship building; to support the renewal of the Nation-to-Nation relationship between Canada and First Nations on the basis that the First Nations are holders of Treaty rights, inherent rights, title, jurisdictions and Indigenous rights; and t [...] By using the federal mandate letters regarding the Nation-to-Nation relationship, MOUs subsequently outlining these efforts, along with recently released Department of Justice 10 principles of the working committee to accommodate the vision of Nation-to-Nation and the cabinet committee reviews to accommodate self-government, the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action and UNDRIP, t [...] Keys of Wealth Creation Jeff Cole, the Director of Lands & Economic Development at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, discussed how to change the narrative and moving beyond the Indian Act with a view to respecting the goals and aspirations of First Nations.