Introduction

The November 24-25, 2004 Sectoral Follow-up Session on Housing was the fourth in a series of sessions intended to fulfill the commitment made by Prime Minister Paul Martin at the conclusion of the April 19, 2004 Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable on Strengthening the Relationship. The sectoral follow-up sessions are intended to explore new and innovative ideas through which the Government of Canada and national Aboriginal leaders can work together to close the quality of life gap between Aboriginal peoples and all Canadians. In addition to Housing, sectoral follow-up sessions were convened for Health, Lifelong Learning (i.e. Early Childhood Development and Kindergarten to Grade 12; Post-secondary Education and Skills Training), Economic Opportunities, Negotiations and Accountability for Results.

Following the distribution of the report on the April 19, 2004 Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable, the Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat (AAS) within the Privy Council Office (PCO) established an overall Planning Committee to develop the proposed sectoral follow-up sessions. The Planning Committee comprised five National Aboriginal Organizations, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Métis National Council (MNC), the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP), and the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC); key federal departments and agencies that serve as lead departments or have related responsibilities (e.g. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), Health Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Industry Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, etc.); and provincial and territorial officials.

A Planning Subcommittee on housing chaired by the lead department, in this case CMHC, and comprising a similar combination of federal, Aboriginal, and provincial/territorial members, applied the session planning guidelines established by the overall Planning Committee to the particular needs of the housing field. The Planning Subcommittee responsibilities included:

• identification of policy priority topics, focus questions and the agenda to guide discussions at the session;
• development of background papers to provide participants with an overview of key issues (available on-line);
• selection of participants and officials (observers); and
• review of the facilitators’ report on the session.

The Housing Sectoral Follow-up Session was designed to bring experts and practitioners together to put forth new and innovative suggestions for improving housing for Aboriginal peoples and discuss how those ideas or recommended actions could be implemented to achieve on-the-ground success. It was agreed at the Planning Committee that the sectoral sessions be open to an exploration of a wide range of ideas that could inform subsequent work, rather than seek to achieve consensus on any particular idea or position.

The housing session objective established by the Planning Subcommittee was to provide an opportunity for participants to contribute to the development of recommended actions to improve housing for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in the key policy areas of:

• jurisdiction, control and governance;
• housing supply;
• housing quality; and
• affordability (access to home ownership and rental housing).

The five National Aboriginal Organizations (NAOs) each identified 10 participants (i.e. five core and five sectoral experts) from their organizations and/or communities at all levels. The participants lists (Annex B) indicate that there were a total of 107 participants at the Housing Sectoral Follow-up Session. Each NAO, the federal government, and provincial and territorial governments sent officials to the session to provide support to their selected participants and report back on the discussions.

The results from the technical discussions at the sectoral follow-up session are contained in this facilitators’ report. The report is based on the flip chart notes prepared by the participants and facilitators during the session and a template approved by the overall Planning Committee. All flip charts were transcribed verbatim and are contained in the web link to Annex C of this report.

As a practical matter, it is not possible to reflect every idea placed on the flip charts during the breakout group in the narrative of this report. The facilitation team has attempted to draft in a manner that highlights the content of the flip charts as succinctly and objectively as possible. As a result, this report is designed to be read in tandem with the detailed ideas contained in the flip chart notes.

As well, discussion built on the content of background papers prepared in advance of the sectoral session. In specific cases this meant that recommendations included in the discussion papers were not always expanded on or discussed in the breakout groups. It is therefore essential that this report also be read in conjunction with the background papers.

The discussions themselves, this report, the facilitators’ reports from the six other scheduled sectoral follow-up sessions, and the facilitators’ final roll-up report on all seven sectoral sessions are intended to support and inform ongoing discussions leading to:

• a spring 2005 policy retreat with members of the Cabinet Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, national Aboriginal leaders, and provincial/territorial representatives ^{[ 1 ]} ; and
• a fall 2005 First Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) on Aboriginal Issues.

It is anticipated that the participating governments and organizations may develop their own reports and analysis of the sectoral sessions. It is also understood that the brainstorming at the sectoral session in no way commits any particular government or organization to the discussion of any particular idea at the upcoming political forums.

1. Discussions are ongoing with provinces and territories regarding their participation in the planned spring policy retreat and this matter will be clarified as work proceeds toward this proposed initiative.

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The documentation contained on this website does not necessarily represent the views of any government or National Aboriginal Organization. The purpose of this website is to share information related to the Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable: background papers, Facilitator's sectoral and final reports, agendas and media announcements.

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