Facing the future

They generated significant results for the whole of Canada and weighted media interest, raising red flags about public views to reflect the actual proportions of the provinces on matters central to the aspirations of Canada’s and territories in the population. [...] The goal is to encourage greater dialogue and understanding among Canadians about the situation of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and relations between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. [...] If there is a potential danger to In any case, the existing level of federal benefits to this aspect of the federal strategy, it lies in the Maritime bands has already alienated much of the relative unpredictability of the Supreme Court. [...] In fact, the lead represen- Non Aboriginal tative of the Mi’kmaq warns, “thinking in terms of a decade (to reach a deal) is not unrealistic.”3 PREFERENTIAL ACCESS TREAT THE SAME Even with the additional breathing space, however, the contours of any package acceptable to all parties One need not look to the future, however, for signs are difficult to discern. [...] If we look at the survey questions, there is a FIGURE 3 SITUATION OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLES fundamental contradiction between the support (2003) shown for distinctive Aboriginal cultures, on the In general, do you think the situation of Aboriginal peoples in Canada is better than the one hand, and the lower support for land rights.