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Ministry of Indigenous Affairs (Ontario)

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Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation
Ministère des Affaires autochtones et de la Réconciliation économique avec les Premières Nations (French)
Ministry overview
Formed2007
Preceding Ministry
  • Ontario Secretariat of Aboriginal Affairs
JurisdictionGovernment of Ontario
Headquarters4th Floor, 160 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Employees150
Annual budget$ 71 million (2011-12 fiscal year)[1]
Ministers responsible
  • Hon. Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation
  • Dave Smith, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs
Websitewww.ontario.ca/page/ministry-indigenous-affairs-and-first-nations-economic-reconciliation

The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation (IAFNER; formerly the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs) is the Government of Ontario ministry responsible for issues relating to First Nations, Métis and Inuit in Ontario. The current Minister of Indigenous Affairs is Hon. Greg Rickford who sits in the Executive Council of Ontario or cabinet.

History

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From 1981 to 1985, indigenous issues were mainly the responsibilities of the Attorney General and the Provincial Secretary for Resources Development (as Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Native Affairs).

In June 1985, Premier David Peterson designated a minister responsible for "native affairs" for the first time in Ontario history.

In 1987, the Ontario Native Affairs Directorate was established. It was renamed the Ontario Native Affairs Secretariat in 1991. The entity acted as a support for the Minister Responsible for Native Affairs, and was headed by an Executive Director and later a Secretary, who for the most part held the rank of Assistant Deputy Attorney General. Andromache Karakatsanis, later Supreme Court Justice, held this role between 1995 and 1997. In 2006, the Secretariat's name was changed to the Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat.

In June 2007, the standalone Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs replaced the Secretariat. In June 2016, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation as part of Ontario's response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's 2015 Report. In June 2018, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs. In June 2024, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation.

The mandate of the ministry is to:

  • promote collaboration and coordination across ministries on Aboriginal policy and programs;
  • set priorities for and track the progress of Ontario's Aboriginal agenda;
  • enhance government's awareness of Aboriginal people, issues and best practices for consulting and engaging with Aboriginal people;
  • work with the federal government to find ways to make the most of federal funding;
  • help Aboriginal people to access Ontario government programs, services and information;
  • reform the land claims process to help address historical grievances; and
  • encourage diversity, especially representation of Aboriginal people, in the Ontario Public Service.

The ministry has four key priorities:

  • Stronger Indigenous Relationships;
  • Improved Social Conditions;
  • Economic Opportunity and Sustainability; and
  • Enhanced Land Claim Settlements and Reconciliation.

Land claims

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The Ministry is the Ontario government's representative in negotiation of Indigenous land claims. Land claims are negotiated by the Ontario and Canadian governments, as representatives of the Crown, directly with First Nations. Proposed settlements are then presented to the general public. There is no independent body that represents affected Canadian settlers in native land claim negotiations. Settlers' concerns and evidence may have been ignored when it differed from proposed settlements. MIA has been mandated to reform the land claim process.[citation needed]

The MIA is currently in negotiations with the Government of Canada and the Algonquins of Ontario First Nation (AOO) to resolve aboriginal title to 36,000 square kilometres (14,000 sq mi) in eastern Ontario. According to the AOO, the land was never ceded and Algonquin title not recognized. An agreement in principle was reached in 2016.[2]

Organization

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  • Minister's Office
  • Deputy Minister's Office
  • Negotiations and Reconciliation Division
  • Indigenous Relations and Programs Division
  • Strategic Policy and Planning Division
  • Legal Services Branch
  • Communications Branch
  • Corporate Management Division

Source: Government of Ontario.[3]

List of ministers

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Portrait Name Term of office Tenure Political party
Ministry 		Note
Minister Responsible for Native Affairs
Ian Scott June 26, 1985 October 1, 1990 5 years, 97 days Liberal
(Peterson) 		While Attorney General.
Bud Wildman October 1, 1990 February 3, 1993 2 years, 125 days NDP
(Rae) 		While Minister of Natural Resources.
Howard Hampton February 3, 1993 June 26, 1995 2 years, 143 days While Minister of Natural Resources.
Charles Harnick June 26, 1995 June 17, 1999 3 years, 356 days PC
(Harris) 		While Attorney General.
Jim Flaherty June 17, 1999 February 8, 2001 1 year, 236 days While Attorney General.
David Young February 8, 2001 February 25, 2003 2 years, 17 days While Attorney General.
Norm Sterling February 25, 2003 October 22, 2003 239 days PC
(Eves) 		While Attorney General.
Michael Bryant October 23, 2003 June 29, 2005 1 year, 249 days
(first instance) 		Liberal
(McGuinty) 		While Attorney General.
Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs
David Ramsay June 29, 2005 June 21, 2007 2 years, 123 days While Minister of Natural Resources.
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs
David Ramsay June 21, 2007 October 30, 2007 Concurrently Minister of Natural Resources.
Michael Bryant October 30, 2007 September 18, 2008 324 days
(second instance)
(2 years, 209 days in total) 		Concurrently Government House Leader.
Brad Duguid September 18, 2008 January 18, 2010 1 year, 122 days
Chris Bentley January 18, 2010 October 20, 2011 1 year, 275 days
(first instance) 		Concurrently Attorney General.
Kathleen Wynne October 20, 2011 November 5, 2012 1 year, 16 days Concurrently Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Resigned to seek Ontario Liberal Party leadership.
Chris Bentley November 5, 2012 February 11, 2013 98 days
(second instance)
(2 years, 8 days in total) 		Appointed as interim minister. Concurrently Minister of Energy.
David Zimmer February 11, 2013 June 13, 2016 5 years, 137 days Liberal
(Wynne)
Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
David Zimmer June 13, 2016 June 28, 2018
Minister of Indigenous Affairs
Greg Rickford June 29, 2018 present 6 years, 149 days PC
(Ford) 		Concurrently Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines.
[edit]
[edit]
  • ^ "Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation".
  • ^ "The Algonquin land claim". ontario.ca. Government of Ontario. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  • ^ 2011-2012 Results-based Plan
    • Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ministry_of_Indigenous_Affairs_(Ontario)&oldid=1235860162"