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First, let me again acknowledge the Westbank First Nation and the Okanagan Nation for welcoming us to their territories. Let me thank the chiefs and elders who came and shared their stories and worked with us through the last two days.
The contributions of this forum will have an impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of Canadians – Aboriginal Canadians, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.
It has taken us 138 years as a nation to arrive at this moment. It has taken decades of dialogue and a tortured path of frustration and failure to bring us to this moment of clarity and commitment.
The commitments each of us have undertaken at this table are profound, far reaching, and fundamental to the Canada that we all aspire to build together.
Like everyone, I sincerely hope this moment will prove to be a pivotal moment in Canada's future.
For me, it has been the single most significant, poignant and promising act that we have been able to accomplish together.
As with the prime minister and the federal government with each of the provinces and the territories and with the five national Aboriginal organizations, we have set a path for the future which I believe Canadians will embrace.
I would like to thank all of the premiers who spent a great deal of their time working towards this meeting, reaching out to their Métis, Inuit and First Nations leaders across their provinces and territories so that we could come here today with the fundamental shift in direction and a fundamental change in the relationship that we all share.
Minutes from now, this table will be empty. This room will be cleared. There will be silence.
Our job now, and our abiding commitment to one another and to the citizens we serve, is to ensure that the memory of this moment finds its voice and its force in history through our actions, through a new working relationship aimed at ensuring Canada's third solitude is henceforth recognized as a true founding partner in confederation, and through an action plan back-stopped by ongoing political commitment, genuine partnerships, and new funding to bridge the gaps for aboriginal children, families, and future generations.
Our duty now is to ensure that when this room goes dark, the light that has been lit, the light of hope that has been lit over the last two days, lives on and burns brighter, month after month, year after year in our hearts and in Canada's corridors of power.
Mr. Prime Minister, the honour of the Crown depends on our meeting these commitments. The honour of the Crown has been the silent partner in this room here and now. And with our words, its import is at stake.
I want to stress that from British Columbia's perspective, the honour of the Crown is the ultimate guarantor that we will leave this room with. We will enter a new era of respect and accommodation and reconciliation.
Jurisdictional overlaps or uncertainties must not be an excuse for inaction. We must not allow them to stand in the way of what we know is right to do.
Real progress on each front we have contemplated must be made. Constitutional wrangling must not become a refuge or an apology for inaction.
All of us at this table today are the leaders who must now take these new tools and get the job done. We're the leaders who must respect and embrace the explicit commitments and assurances that we have made to Aboriginal leaders and citizens across this country.
We're the leaders who will be held to account for making meaningful progress in health, education, housing, economic development for First Nation, Métis and Inuit people across Canada regardless of where they live.
The world looks at Canada and they aspire to be like Canada. They aspire to the model that Canada has set. A model of harmony, tolerance, understanding, cultural diversity and unlimited potential and promise.
Yesterday and today, we have looked at some of our failings as a country and we have embraced the idea that we can improve; we can be better. We can be better for all Canadians and we will be.
Prime Minister, the power of our endeavour is the true promise of the people of our country. Each of us as leaders must endeavour to put Canadian values into action as we leave this room.
I want to say a special thank you to the leaders of the national Aboriginal organizations because, indeed, for all of us, we should recognize the greatest risk at coming to this table was theirs.
It is sometimes easier to stand back and deal with the problems you have and say, "Let's not try something new. Let's not challenge the status quo. Let's stay mired in the past."
Each of the Aboriginal leaders who joined us looked to the future. Each of the Aboriginal leaders who have joined us and been part of this discussion in shaping the discussion and planning for their future said they were willing to take the risk on behalf of the people that they serve.
And I particularly want to recognize the exceptional leadership that has been shown by National Chief Phil Fontaine of the Assembly of First Nations.
It was the national chief who came to us and said, "Let us put aside the search for headlines and let us look for solutions. Let us recognize that solutions will come not in a year or two, but that we will have to commit ourselves for a decade. We will have to commit resources. We will have to commit creativity. We'll have to commit to getting results, but most importantly we will have to relentlessly pursue this plan.” We must relentlessly pursue it if we are to be successful.
And I want to thank all of the leaders. The Métis National Council, the ITK, the AFN, Council of Aboriginal People and the Native Women's Association of Canada for sharing with us their goals and their dreams.
And Prime Minister, I want to recognize and acknowledge the work of Minister Scott. I have traveled across the country a couple of times. He's traveled across the country dozens of times in pursuit of this agenda and laying out this plan.
And finally, let me say thank you to you, Prime Minister, because it is equally a risk for you to say, "Let's get together with the premiers again." Not a big risk. But it's a reasonable risk.
I think that, Prime Minister, you opened a door for all of us and as you opened that door each premier walked through. As you opened that door, each Aboriginal leader came forward and said, "Let us guide you to a future that we can all embrace."
So, I want to say on behalf of all of us thank you for establishing this. Thank you for creating the opportunity for us to reach for a Canada that we all aspire to.
Someone once said, "Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."
I am hopeful that what we have done in the last two days will create some magic for First Nation, Inuit, and Métis people across this country. We will transform their lives and all Canadians will be proud of the efforts and the energy we put behind that.
Thank you very much Prime Minister.
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Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218 |
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