Aboriginal Peoples' Commission

2005 Biennial Convention Liberal Party of Canada ABORIGINAL PEOPLES' COMMISSION

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2005 WESTIN HOTEL, OTTAWA I am delighted to extend my warmest greetings to you on the occasion of the Liberal Party of Canada’s 2005 Biennial Policy Convention in Ottawa from March 3 to 6, 2005.

As Leader of the Liberal Party, I am tremendously proud to see so many Aboriginal people in attendance, and am grateful for the enthusiasm and knowledge you will bring to this event. Indeed, I am proud to say that we have accomplished much of what we have set out to do, and our progress has been more than impressive. In fact, we have asserted our country’s role on the international stage, increased transparency and accountability, signed a historic Health Accord with the provinces and presented a clear picture of the Canada we envision for the future.

Thanks to your efforts, our Party has been successful in establishing new directions and priorities for Aboriginal people. Indeed, we can all take great pride in our commitment to addressing this national priority and to achieving tangible progress in improving the health and well-being of Aboriginal communities across Canada. I look forward to joining you and discussing our objectives while renewing several ties of friendship with many members and organizers present.

Please accept my warmest regards and best wishes for a most productive and exciting Convention.

The Right Honourable Paul Martin, P.C., M.P. Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

O T T A W A 2005

A ANDREA DYKSTRA AND HANK ROWLINSON, CO-PRESIDENTS ABORIGINAL PEOPLES' COMMISSION

It is a great time to be an Aboriginal Liberal. Since 1990, the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission (APC) has welcomed Aboriginal peoples into the Liberal family. To date, ours remains the only political party to formally recognize the unique position occupied by First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples in Canadian society. The importance of providing a voice and an opportunity for Aboriginal peoples to represent themselves within the Party structure can not be overlooked or understated.

Over the years, the APC has contributed significantly to the fabric of the Liberal Party of Canada. The influence of Aboriginal peoples on the Party structure is evident by the important policy resolutions that have been adopted at past Conventions. Issues such as the recognition of the inherent right of self-government and the adoption of a national housing strategy have been brought forward by the APC and put into action by our government. We should be proud that we have contributed to action on these most pressing and important issues to our communities.

Our representation on the LPC National Executive ensures that we have a say not only in those issues that directly affect Aboriginal communities; we have an opportunity to influence all aspects of the Party's business, and consequentially, the policies that will affect this entire country. This role is undeniably important if Aboriginal peoples are to be truly well represented.

Our work is far from complete. One of our most essential roles is to increase Aboriginal representation in Parliament. Historically, only 15 Aboriginal people have been elected to the House of Commons, and currently, only four members of Parliament are Aboriginal. For Aboriginal people to be represented proportionally, we would hold 16 seats. We must continue to work actively toward the mobilization of the Aboriginal electorate if our numbers are to increase.

We would like to take this opportunity to reflect on some of our government's important achievements since our last Convention in November 2003. In April 2004, a new era began in terms of Canada's relationship with Aboriginal Peoples with the first ever Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable held in Ottawa. This event brought together over forty government representatives, including more than two dozen Cabinet Ministers, and over 70 Aboriginal leaders from across Canada to discuss solutions to the issues facing Aboriginal communities.

The Paul Martin Liberal government has brought a renewed focus on Aboriginal issues, through the creation of a new Parliamentary Secretary on Aboriginal Affairs who reports directly to the Prime Minister and through the creation of an Aboriginal Secretariat in the Privy Council Office.

The Liberal Party Platform is the only policy document that deals directly with the issues of ALL of Canada's Aboriginal peoples - First Nations, the Metis nation and the Inuit. The Liberal Platform also deals directly the needs of increasing Aboriginal populations in urban centers. The Liberal Party

1 is committed to upholding and affirming Treaty rights and recognizes that self-government is an important goal to ensure self-sufficiency and self-determination for Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

The Liberal government has tackled the deficit and put the country's finances in order, through seven consecutive balanced budgets. This has ensured that a new Liberal government will have the fiscal capacity to deliver on their social and economic commitments to ensure a better future for Canada's Aboriginal peoples.

We would like to thank Prime Minister Paul Martin for his support and leadership on all of these important initiatives. It has been an honour and a privilege to work alongside him in the advancement of Aboriginal issues. We look forward to working with the Right Honourable Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada, on the many more important issues that remain to be addressed.

We are confident that the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission will continue to occupy an essential role within the Liberal Party, and we look forward to your continued participation to help us along the way.

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

APC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE 4 APC MISSION STATEMENT 5 APC BIENNIAL AGENDA 6 RULES GOVERNING THE APC BIENNIAL MEETING 7 APC PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS 10

REPORTS • CO-PRESIDENTS 24 • VICE-PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS 28 • VICE-PRESIDENT, ORGANIZATION AND MEMBERSHIP 30 • VICE-PRESIDENT, POLICY 31 • VICE-PRESIDENT, YLC 32 • REPRESENTATIVE, POLICY 33 • PRESIDENT, ALBERTA 34

3 NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

Co-Presidents Andrea Dykstra Hank Rowlinson

Vice-Presidents Communications Cindy Woodhouse Finance John Hill Organization and Recruitment Sheila Keewatin NWLC Ginger Gosnell Policy Wayne Helgason YLC Joshua Fraser

Representative, Policy Carolann Brewer

Provincial/Territorial APC President, Yukon John Burdek President, Nunavut Joe Kunuk President, British Columbia Richard Harry President, Alberta Robin Wortman President, Saskatchewan Phillip Head President, Manitoba Nathan McCorrister President, Ontario Barry Christoff President, Quebec Luc Lainé President, Labrador Todd Russel President, Newfoundland Calvin White

APC Manager Monique Trottier

4 PREAMBLE OF THE APC'S CONSTITUTION

BELIEVING in the right of all Aboriginal people to participate in the political process in Canada in order to achieve a just and equitable position for Aboriginal Peoples in Canadian society;

COMMITTED to the socio-economic betterment of Aboriginal people and the recognition of the Aboriginal and treaty right of Aboriginal peoples, including the inherent right of self-determination;

DEDICATED to the creation of a caring society and healthy environment in which all peoples may peacefully flourish in harmony with our Mother the Earth, so as to ensure a place for our generations to come;

BELIEVING that the philosophy and ideology of the Liberal Party of Canada is compatible with the aspirations of Aboriginal people and best suited to accommodate the interests of Aboriginal peoples in Canada; and,

THEREFORE the hereinafter described organization is constituted as a commission of the Liberal Party of Canada with the principal objectives of representing and promoting the interests of Aboriginal Peoples within the Liberal Party of Canada and encouraging the active participation of Aboriginal people at all levels within the Party.

5 2005 BIENNIAL MEETING

MARCH 3, 2005 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM WESTIN HOTEL - CONFEDERATION III

9:00 am Opening Prayers • Adoption of Meeting Rules • Introductions & Welcoming Remarks • Adoption of Agenda 9:30 am APC Constitutional Amendments 10:00 am Guest Speaker - T.J. Burke, MLA, NB 10:30 am Refreshment Break 10:45 am Review of Election Procedures Elections, Nominations, Speeches for APC Table Officers • Co-chairs • Vice-Presidents of: • Finance • Communications • Policy • Organisation & Membership • Youth • Women 11:15 am Keynote Speaker - Honourable Andy Scott, P.C., M.P. 11:45 am Lunch 1:00 pm Guest Speaker - Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew, P.C., M.P. 1:30 pm Review of Resolutions 2:15 pm Remarks by the Right Honourable Paul Martin, P.C., M.P. 3:15 pm Polls Open Break Review of LPC Convention 4:15 pm Polls Close 4:30 pm Ballot Results Announced Introduction of Table Officers 4:45 pm Closing Remarks / Closing Prayers

6 RULES OF THE BIENNIAL MEETING

1. General Rules for Biennial Meeting Proceedings

a) Announcements from the Chair may be made in either language; published proceedings and official releases will be in both official languages. b) The general rules for Convention proceedings apply unless otherwise specified herein. c) The APC Co-Presidents shall preside as Co-Chairs at the Biennial Meeting, delegate their authority, interpret and enforce all rules, decide on questions of order and any other matters, subject to an appeal to the Convention without debate. d) The Biennial Meeting agenda and rules, once adopted by the Meeting, shall not be amended or subject to suspension. e) Except as otherwise provided, whenever a vote is required, the Chair shall put the question to the APC Biennial Meeting by asking for a show of voting cards which will be given to aboriginal delegates at the time of registration. Ordinary motions shall be declared passed if a simple majority is in favour thereof, by not less than two-thirds of votes in care of constitution amendments. The Chairs shall declare the result.

2. Constitutional Amendments

a) Proposed amendments to the Constitution will be put to and dealt with in the order in which they are printed in the convention material, and such proposals shall not be amended. b) Each amendment will be referred to by the Chair and deemed properly moved and seconded. The Chair shall ask if such amendments shall automatically be put to a vote without debate. Unless 10 delegates rise to indicate an interest in debate on a resolution, it shall be put to a vote without debate. c) The Chair will recognize two speakers debating amendments alternately from “in favour” and “not in favour” microphones. Subject to the discretion of the Chair, two speakers “in favour” and two speakers “not in favour” will be recognized for up to one minute each. Only Aboriginal delegates and alternates will be recognized as speakers. d) A quorum shall be at least 25 for the constitutional plenary session.

3. APC Election Rules

a) Elections for the APC Table Officers will be conducted in accordance with the APC Constitution under the supervision of the APC Elections Chair. b) The APC Elections Chair will be available to meet all candidates or their representatives at the following times: Thursday - 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. All requests for information or rulings about complaints regarding potential violation of these rules of procedure must be transmitted to the APC Election Chair in writing before one of these designated times. The APC Elections Chair will give his rulings at the time of these meetings, and in the presence of all parties concerned.

7 4. Candidates' Nominations, Speeches and Debates

a) Nominations for APC Table Officers will be taken from the floor during the Nominations session on Thursday, March 3, 2005 and will be chaired by the Biennial Meeting Co- chairs. The nominator shall state his/her name. The nominator will then be followed by a seconder, who shall state his/her name. b) A total of one hour will be allotted to candidates to address the assembled APC delegates. Individual times for each candidate will be determined by the Biennial Co-chairs based on the total number of candidates. c) For each contested position, the speaking order of candidates will be determined by a random draw held by the APC Elections Chair. d) Candidates who have been acclaimed will be given time to address the assembly, if time permits. e) Candidates, including those who have been acclaimed, are prohibited from using their allocated speaking time to endorse another person's candidacy in any other APC or LPC position. Any violation of this rule will result in the immediate termination of that candidate's speech.

5. Election of Table Officers

a) For each office, there will be only one ballot and the candidate who receives a plurality of the votes cast in that ballot will be elected. In the case of a tie vote, the winner will be decided by lot in a manner determined by the APC Elections Chair. b) Each candidate may appoint one scrutineer to be present in the voting area immediately before and during voting to observe the counting of the ballots for that office. Additional scrutineers may be permitted at the counting of the ballots subject to the discretion of the APC Elections Chair.

6. General Conduct of Elections

a) Voting for the election of officers will be conducted under the supervision of the APC Elections Chair. All matters pertaining to the conduct of the voting and the counting of votes is within the sole jurisdiction of the APC Elections Chair whose decisions are final and binding subject only to the rulings of the Permanent Appeals Committee. b) The APC Elections Chair may, in his/her discretion, appoint any assistants to assist the APC Elections Chair in his/her duties. Any such individual may act only if they have signed a declaration of neutrality. c) All registered delegates wishing to vote must wear their official delegate badge, and any person not wearing such a delegate badge may only vote upon specific determination by the APC Elections Chair that the person is a properly registered and accredited delegate and has not previously voted. d) The APC Elections Chair will assign each registered delegate to a voting station. Registered delegates may only vote at the voting station to which they have been assigned. e) To the greatest extent possible, voting will take place at the time provided in the official agenda of the Biennial Meeting. Each registered delegate in line to enter the voting area or already within it at the close of polls is entitled to vote.

8 f) Each election agent and scrutineer must wear a badge provided by the APC Elections Chair, indicating only the name of the election agent or scrutineer and the candidate on whose behalf he/she acts. While in the voting area during an election, an election agent or scrutineer must not wear any badge (other than that provided by the APC Elections Chair) or garment that may act in any manner that indicates support for a particular candidate and must not interfere in any way with the voting and counting procedures. An election agent or scrutineer must not communicate in any way with any person outside the voting area and must not carry or use any communications device including, without limitation, a cell phone or a Blackberry. The APC Elections Chair has complete authority to control the activities of election agents and scrutineers to ensure there is no interference and no breach of these Rules. g) Only the APC Elections Chair, his/her assistants, poll clerks, scrutineers, registered delegates in the process of voting and those authorized by the APC Elections Chair may enter the voting area. No campaigning is allowed at any time in the voting area. The APC Elections Chair has full authority over such areas and any other area designated by them as necessary for the voting procedure. Access may be restricted accordingly. Throughout the voting process, the APC Elections Chair may take all steps necessary to maintain order in the voting stations and voting and counting areas. h) Any registered delegate assistance to vote may be accompanied by another registered delegate of his/her own choosing to the appropriate voting station under the supervision of the APC Elections Chair or may request the assistance of the APC Elections Chair. i) Once the voting stations have closed and the counting of ballots begun, no person in the voting or counting areas, except for the APC Elections Chair, their assistants and anyone authorized by them, may leave the voting or counting areas or communicate in any manner whether verbally, visually, electronically or otherwise with anyone outside the voting or counting areas until the result of a ballot has been announced officially. j) In respect of each position to be elected, the APC Elections Chair must report to the Co- chairs the number of ballots cast, the number of ballots spoiled and the name of the successful candidate. The Co-chairs must then announce the names of the successful candidates and may announce the number of ballots cast for each candidate and the number of ballots spoiled. The APC Elections Chair must not otherwise disclose any portion of the results. k) Upon the adjournment of the Biennial Meeting and in the absence of instructions to the contrary from the Co-chairs, the APC Elections Chair may destroy the ballots.

7. Miscellaneous

a) Each candidate is required to sign a damage waiver form, agreeing to personal responsibility for all costs incurred with respect to his or her campaign for office, and further agreeing that such costs include any costs resulting from the damage caused by the affixing of his or her campaign materials in and around all Convention sites or to any public or private property elsewhere in Ottawa. b) Where a contentious situation not addressed in these regulations arises, an appropriate and equitable ruling will be made by the APC Elections Chair in the presence of all parties affected and concerned by the ruling.

9 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ABORIGINAL PEOPLES' COMMISSION OF THE LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA

Whereas the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission (APC) National Executive has reviewed the APC Constitution and recommends amendments as listed below.

Be it Resolved that the APC Constitution be amended as follows:

• Amend article 4.01 by deleting “twenty-two” and replacing it with “twenty-one”. • Amend article 5.01 by deleting “eleven (11)” and replacing it with “thirteen (13)”. • Amend article 5.01 by deleting “fourteen (14) APC PTO representatives from each province or territory, save and except for:” and replace it with “one APC PTO representative from each province and territory as follows:” • Delete articles 5.01(a) and 5.01(b). • Amend article 5.01(c) as follows: - delete “(c)” and replace with “(a)” - delete “Northwest Territories” and replace with “Western Arctic” - add “Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Association” to the bottom of the list - add “Nunavut Liberal Commission” to the bottom of the list. • Amend Article 5.02 by adding “They shall maintain an up to date list of their current executive with the Aboriginal Commission.” • Delete article 5.05. • Renumber Articles 5.06 to 5.10 as required. • Amend Article 5.07 by adding “or Commissions.” • Amend Article 7.02(a)(iii) by deleting “as required” and adding in its place, “represent the Aboriginal Commission on the National Executive of the Liberal Party of Canada and on other Committees of the Liberal Party of Canada as required.” • Amend Article 11.01 by deleting “Aboriginal Commission” and replacing it with “Liberal Party of Canada.” • Amend Article 11.02(a) by deleting “Aboriginal Commission” and replacing it with “Liberal Party of Canada.” • Delete Article 11.02(b) and replace it with “11.02(b)” “All nominations for the offices of Co-President and Vice-President of the Aboriginal Commission shall be in writing and supported by at least 25 delegates and be received at the APC National Office at least 30 days prior to the biennial meeting”.

10 CONSTITUTION OF THE ABORIGINAL PEOPLES' COMMISSION LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA (AS AMENDED AT THE 2003 CONVENTION)

ARTICLE I - NAME

1.01 The name of the organization shall be “The Aboriginal Peoples' Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada,” hereinafter referred to as the Aboriginal Commission.

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIPS

2.01 Any Aboriginal person, who is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, may be a member of the Aboriginal Commission.

2.02 Membership cards may be issued by the Aboriginal Commission in accordance with the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada.

2.03 For the purposes of this Commission and for the purposes of determining Aboriginal delegates to conventions of the Liberal Party of Canada, an Aboriginal person shall be defined in accordance with the following:

(a) “Aboriginal” refers to the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada; and (b) Without limiting the generality of paragraph (a) an Aboriginal person includes a person who (1) self identifies as an Aboriginal person and (2) provides either reasonable proof of Aboriginal ancestry or reasonable proof that the Aboriginal community accepts him/her as an Aboriginal.

2.04 Where a person's Aboriginal identity is challenged the Vice-President for Organization shall hold a hearing in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice and fairness to consider and rule on the challenge.

2.05 The Aboriginal Peoples' Commission shall establish a membership committee at every biennial convention of the Liberal Party of Canada to hear any challenges that may arise over the identity of any Aboriginal person.

ARTICLE III - HEAD OFFICE

3.01 The head office of the Aboriginal Commission shall be in the City of Ottawa, Ontario.

11 ARTICLE IV - NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

4.01 There shall be a National Executive of the Aboriginal Commission consisting of twenty-two people, including all of the Officers and Provincial/Territorial Representatives of the Aboriginal Commission.

4.02 The National Executive shall be responsible for the overall management and policy development of the Aboriginal Commission.

4.03 A majority of the National Executive shall constitute a quorum. All decisions of the National Executive shall be by a majority vote.

4.04 The National Executive may amend or reverse any decisions of the Officers of the Aboriginal Commission. Any major policy, management or political decision requires the prior approval of the National Executive. In particular, any non-budgeted financial expenditure in excess of $2,000.00 must be approved by the National Executive.

4.05 The National Executive shall meet at least once per year at the call of the Presidents or fifty- one percent of the National Executive. In addition, the National Executive shall hold at least two conference calls per year between meetings and a minimum of ten days notice is required for the calling of meetings and a minimum of two days notice is required for the conduct of conference calls. All meetings and conference calls of the National Executive shall be co- chaired by at least on Co-President.

ARTICLE V - PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATIVES

5.01 The Aboriginal Peoples' Commission shall be composed of eleven (11) provincial and territorial Aboriginal associations or commissions, and there shall be fourteen (14) APC PTO representatives from each province or territory, save and except for:

(a) The Northwest Territories which shall have two representatives, one from the Eastern Arctic and one from the Western Arctic; and (b) The Province of Newfoundland which shall have two representatives, one from Labrador and one from the Island of Newfoundland; (c) The Aboriginal associations or commissions are: British Columbia Aboriginal Liberal Commission Alberta Aboriginal Liberal Commission Saskatchewan Aboriginal Liberal Commission Manitoba Aboriginal Liberal Commission Ontario Aboriginal Liberal Commission New Brunswick Aboriginal Liberal Commission Nova Scotia Aboriginal Liberal Commission

12 Prince Edward Island Aboriginal Liberal Commission Northwest Territories Aboriginal Liberal Commission Quebec Aboriginal Liberal Commission Yukon Aboriginal Liberal Commission

5.02 The provincial and territorial Aboriginal Associations or commissions represent and promote the interests of Aboriginal peoples in the Party and encourage the active participation of Aboriginal peoples at all levels of the Party structure. They shall encourage and coordinate the activities of the membership and function as a body which coordinates and communicates the views of Aboriginal Liberals on a regular basis. They shall be known as Aboriginal Associations or Commissions of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada.

5.03 The Provincial/Territorial Representatives to the National Executive of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission shall be appointed to the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission National Executive in the following manner:

(a) Where there is an Aboriginal association or commission within the province/territory, the representative shall be the president of the association or commission or the designate of the Aboriginal association or commission; and (b) Where there is not an Aboriginal association or commission within the province/territory, the representative shall be selected by the Aboriginal association or commission members within the province/territory.

5.04 If there is a vacancy on the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission National Executive as a result of the failure by an Aboriginal association or Commission pursuant to section 5.03, or the Aboriginal association or commission members of the province/territory, to name a representative, the National Executive of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission may appoint a person to fill the vacancy until the next provincial/territorial Aboriginal association or commission annual meeting.

5.05 For the purposes of this Article, the Eastern Arctic and Western Arctic in the Northwest Territories, and Labrador and the Island of Newfoundland in the Province of Newfoundland, shall be treated as though they were separate province/territories.

5.06 The Provincial/Territorial Representatives shall be responsible for advancing the interests of the Aboriginal Commission within their respective regions.

5.07 Any Aboriginal person, as defined in the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission's Constitution, who is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, may be a member of the Aboriginal Associations.

5.08 The Aboriginal associations or commissions shall, in their respective constitutions:

(a) Define their status and objectives within the Party and Aboriginal Peoples' Commission and recognize the full membership and participation in their ranks of all Aboriginal peoples, women and youth while ensuring equitable representation in the structure and

13 operations and incorporate the principles set forth in the Preamble and Article 2, section 3 of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada; (b) Specify the qualifications and procedures required for obtaining membership; (c) Provide for annual general meetings and for election of officers thereof at such meetings which shall be held in conjunction with respective provincial/territorial Liberal associations of the Liberal Party of Canada annual general meetings; (d) Provide for a right of hearing and an appeal procedure from all decisions of their respective executive committees or officers dismissing members from office in such associations, denying membership therein to applicants, and suspending or expelling members therefrom; (e) Provide for the establishment and maintenance of proper financial records, minutes of meetings and correspondence; (f) Provide for the appointment or election of representatives to participate in the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission; (g) Provide for procedures for the selection and substitution of Aboriginal delegates attending provincial/territorial or national conventions of the Liberal Party of Canada in accordance with the constitution or by-laws of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission, Liberal Party of Canada and provincial/territorial Liberal Party of Canada associations; (h) Specify a formula for the amending of such constitutions by a vote of their respective general memberships, and specify the effective date of each amended version of such constitutions; and (i) Ensure that the current version of their constitution is filed with the National Office of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission, Liberal Party of Canada and the respective provincial/territorial associations of the Liberal Party of Canada.

5.09 One of the primary objectives of the Liberal Party of Canada is to ensure equitable representation of Aboriginal Peoples at all levels of the Party. An assessment to determine the extent to which equitable Aboriginal representation has been achieved will be reported to every biennial convention by the President of the Aboriginal Associations in consultation with the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission.

5.10 The Presidents of the Aboriginal Associations shall report to the National Executive of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission at every biennial convention on the achievements of their respective Associations.

ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS

6.01 There shall be eight Officers of the Aboriginal Commission:

(a) Two Presidents, one of whom is a male and the other of whom is a female; and (b) Six Vice-Presidents with responsibility over the following subject areas: (i) Finance; (ii) Communications;

14 (iii) Policy; (iv) Organization and Membership; (v) Youth; and (vi) Women.

6.02 The Officers, as a committee of the National Executive, shall be accountable to the National Executive and responsible for fulfilling the directions of the National Executive and attending to the management and policy development of the Aboriginal Commission between meetings of the National Executive.

6.03 A majority of the Officers shall constitute a quorum. All decisions of the Officers shall be by majority vote.

6.04 The Officers shall meet at least once every four months at the call of the Presidents or two- thirds of the Officers. In addition, the Officers may hold as many conference calls as they deem necessary for the efficient operation of the Aboriginal Commission. A minimum of ten days notice is required for the calling of meetings. All meetings and conference calls shall be co-chaired by at least one Co-President.

ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF OFFICERS

7.01 The Presidents shall:

(a) Promote the interest of the Aboriginal Commission both within the Party and externally; (b) Co-chair or chair all meetings of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission; (c) Report as required detailing the activities of the National Executive; (d) Be the primary spokesperson of the Aboriginal Commission; (e) Maintain all duties normally associated with a chief executive officer and such other duties as delegated to them by the National Executive; and (f) Represent the Aboriginal Commission on the National Executive of the Liberal Party of Canada and on other Committees of the Liberal Party of Canada as required.

7.02 The duties of each of the Vice-Presidents shall be as follows:

(a) Vice-President for Finance: (i) Develop proposed fundraising projects for the Aboriginal Commission; (ii) Maintain accurate records, financial and otherwise, of the Aboriginal Commission and make such records available to individual members upon request; (iii) Act as the Aboriginal Commission representative on Liberal Party finance committee as required; (iv) At least two months prior to the National Executive meeting in the spring of each and every year, prepare a comprehensive budget for the Aboriginal Commission including:

15 (1) Estimates of upcoming expenditures by each Officer in the operation of his/her area of concern including a complete estimate and description of these proposed expenditures and projects; (2) Expenditures related to National Executive meetings; and (3) Expenditures related to paid staff members of the Aboriginal Commission; (v) Report as required detailing the financial expenditures of the Aboriginal Commission; and (vi) Such other duties as delegated by the Officers or the National Executive. (b) Vice-President for Communications (i) Maintain a national membership list in conjunction with the Vice-President responsible for Organization (ii) Develop and implement communications strategies for the Aboriginal Commission; (iii) Act as the Aboriginal Commission representative on Liberal Party communications committees as required; (iv) Report as required detailing the communications activities of the Aboriginal Commission; and (v) Such other duties as delegated by the Officers or the National Executive. (c) Vice-President for Policy: (i) Ensure a functional policy process which includes: (1) Aboriginal Commission policy development; (2) The communication of Aboriginal Commission policies to the Liberal Party Standing Committee on Policy, and should they exist, the National Platform Committee and the National Election Readiness Committee; (3) Direct lobbying and communication of developed Aboriginal Commission policies to the parliamentary wing of the Party, and (4) Report as required detailing the policy activities of the Aboriginal Commission. (ii) Collect, co-ordinate, and compile adopted Aboriginal Commission provincial/territorial Aboriginal Policies; (iii) Distribute such a compiled policy package to each Provincial/Territorial Representative and policy director on a yearly basis; (iv) Distribute policy background material to provincial/territorial Aboriginal organizations; (v) Act as one of the Aboriginal Commission representatives on the Liberal Party Policy Development Committee; and (vi) Such other duties as delegated by the Officers or the National Executive. (d) Vice-President for Membership and Organization: (i) Provide organization support to the provincial/territorial Liberal Aboriginal organizations by developing organizational materials and information packages prepared with their co-operation and agreement; (ii) Maintain an ongoing constitutional review process;

16 (iii) Maintain an ongoing national membership list in conjunction with the Vice- President responsible for Communications; (iv) Act as the Aboriginal Commission representative on Liberal Party organizational committees; (v) Report as required detailing the organization activities of the Aboriginal Commission; and (vi) Such other duties as delegated by the Officers or the National Executive. (e) Vice-President for Youth: (i) Work with the other Vice-Presidents in promoting the interest of Aboriginal youth within each of the subject areas or responsibility described herein; (ii) Develop policies and programs in respect of Aboriginal youth; (iii) Encourage the participation of Aboriginal youth in the Aboriginal Commission; (iv) Act as the Aboriginal Commission representative on the Commission of the Young Liberals of Canada; (v) Report detailing his or her activities in the Commission of the Young Liberals; and (vi) Such other duties as delegated by the Officers or the National Executive. (f) Vice-President for Women: (i) Work with the other Vice-Presidents in the interest of Aboriginal women within each of the subject areas of responsibility described herein; (ii) Develop policies and programs in respect of Aboriginal women; (iii) Encourage the participation of Aboriginal women in the Aboriginal Commission; (iv) Act as the Aboriginal Commission representative on the National Women's Liberal Commission of the Liberal Party; (v) Report as required; and (vi) Such other duties as delegated by the Officers or the National Executive. ARTICLE VIII - ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

8.01 All Officers shall report on their respective activities to the Vice-President responsible for Communications prior to his/her deadline of submissions to existing Liberal publications.

ARTICLE IX - CONVENTIONS

9.01 The Aboriginal representation at any convention shall be as follows (requirements for qualifications as a delegate or alternate must be met as of the opening of registration):

(a) the eight officers of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission and; (b) the presidents of the provincial/territorial Aboriginal Commissions or, in the absence of a provincial or territorial Aboriginal Commission, the provincial or territorial representative on the national Aboriginal Commission;

17 provincial or territorial Aboriginal commission or association or, in the absence of a provincial or territorial Aboriginal commission or association, elected at large by all persons resident in that province or territory who are eligible to vote as Aboriginal people in accordance with rules adopted for that purpose by the executive of the Aboriginal Commission; and (d) delegates based on proportional representation of Aboriginal peoples in the country in a number, allocated to each province and territory to reflect the demographic distribution of Aboriginal people in each province or territory and elected as follows: (i) for the purpose of calculation only, the total number of delegates is smallest whole number greater than A where A = (P ÷ C) x D P is the total Aboriginal population of all provinces and territories reported in the latest Canadian Census published before the date on which the call to the convention is issued by the National Executive of the Liberal Party of Canada (the “Date of the Call”) C is the total population of all provinces and territories reported in the same census (the “Relevant Census”) D is the sum of the maximum number of delegates from all other bodies of the Party entitled to elect delegates (based on the number of student clubs accredited under Article 16(13)(e) of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada as of the Date of the Call, the number of women's clubs certified and recognized as required by Article 16(13)(f) of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada as of the Date of the Call, [the number of Senior Liberals clubs certified and recognized as required by Article 16(13)(f.1) of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada as of the Date of the Call] and the number of federal constituencies as of the Date of the Call) plus the total number of ex officio delegates eligible to register as of the Date of the Call (but amended in accordance with the last two sentences of Article 16(2) of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada); (ii) the actual total number of delegates is the sum of the number of delegates allocated to each province and territory as follows: (1) for each province and territory, calculate the preliminary number of delegates as B rounded to the nearest whole number where B = (Q ÷ P) x A Q is the total Aboriginal population of that province or territory reported in the Relevant Census P is the total Aboriginal population of all provinces and territories reported in the Relevant Census A is the total number of delegates calculated in accordance with Article 9.01(d)(i) (2) to each province or territory for which the preliminary number of delegates calculated in accordance with Article 9.01(d)(ii)(1) is less than three, allocate three delegates;

18 (3) for each province and territory other than those contemplated by Article 9.01(d)(ii)(2), calculate the number of delegates as C rounded to the nearest whole number where C = (Q ÷ (P - R)) x (A - B) Q is the total Aboriginal population of that province or territory reported in the Relevant Census P is the total Aboriginal population of all provinces and territories reported in the Relevant Census R is the total Aboriginal population reported in the Relevant Census of those provinces and territories to which delegates have been allocated in accordance with Article 9.01(d)(ii)(2) A is the total number of delegates calculated in accordance with Article 9.01(d)(ii)(i) B is the number of delegates allocated in accordance with Article 9.01(d)(ii)(2); (iii) the delegates for each province or territory will be elected on a province or territory wide basis by all persons resident in the province or territory who are eligible to vote as Aboriginal people in accordance with rules adopted for that purpose by the National Executive of the Aboriginal Commission; (iv) despite anything else contained in this Article 9.01 and Article 16(13)(m) of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada, the total Aboriginal population of all provinces and territories or for any one or more of the provinces or territories may be increased for the purposes of calculations under this Article 9.01 and Article 6(13)(m) of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada by joint resolution of the executive of the Aboriginal Commission and the National Executive to reflect under-counting of Aboriginal people in the Relevant Census and to reflect the level of participation of Aboriginal people at previous conventions. ARTICLE X - BIENNIAL COMMISSION MEETINGS AND NATIONAL CONVENTIONS

10.01 The Aboriginal Commission shall hold biennial meetings concurrently with the Liberal Party of Canada biennial convention provided for in the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada.

10.02 At the Aboriginal Commission convention held concurrently with the Liberal Party of Canada biennial convention, delegates to the Aboriginal Commission convention shall be such members of the Aboriginal Commission who are accredited delegates to the Liberal Party of Canada convention, pursuant to the provisions of the Liberal Party of Canada Constitution.

10.03 Members of the Aboriginal Commission who are observers may run for elective position, but not vote in elections of the Aboriginal Commission.

10.04 The representation of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission at any Convention of the Liberal Party of Canada shall be in accordance with the Party Constitution.

19 ARTICLE XI - APPOINTMENT/ELECTION OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE 11.01 The election of Officers shall take place at the biennial meetings of the Aboriginal Commission.

11.02 The following rules shall be in force for the election of Officers:

(a) All Officers shall hold office from the date of their election until the next biennial meeting of the Aboriginal Commission; (b) Nominations for the offices of President and Vice-President of the Aboriginal Commission may be made by any delegate to the biennial meeting. (c) All delegates are eligible to vote in the elections of Officers. Officers shall be considered elected if they receive 50% plus one of the votes cast in the election for that position.

11.03 Any member of the National Executive may be removed upon the vote of two-thirds of the National Executive.

11.04 Vacancies in any of the Officer positions shall be filled by a majority vote of the National Executive within one month of the vacancy occurring. Any Officer so named shall serve until the next biennial meeting of the Aboriginal Commission.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS

12.01 This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority at any biennial meeting of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission.

12.02 Notice of proposed amendments shall be given in writing to the Presidents of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission at least thirty days before the date of a biennial meeting and must be proposed by a recognized Provincial/Territorial Liberal Aboriginal Organization or the National Executive or any twenty-five members in good standing.

12.03 Notice of proposed amendments shall be given to all Provincial/Territorial associations or commissions at least two weeks before the biennial convention.

ARTICLE XIII - TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

13.01 This Constitution shall be considered adopted if approved by a two-thirds majority of the National Executive and shall remain in effect, provided it is ratified by a majority of registered Commission delegates present at the first meeting of the Members of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission.

13.02 For the purposes of this Article:

(a) The “Native Caucus of the Liberal Party of Canada,” means the organization comprised of Aboriginal persons who are members of the Liberal Party of Canada; and

20 (b) The “Standing Committee on Native and Original Peoples' Affairs” means the Committee created under section 11 of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada, as it existed prior to June 21, 1990.

13.03 The Aboriginal Peoples' Commission shall be established upon the adoption of the amendments to the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada providing for the creation of the Commission.

13.04 Prior to the establishment of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission, the expressions “Aboriginal Peoples' Commission” and “National Executive of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission,” shall be deemed as the context required, to refer to the “Native Caucus of the Liberal Party of Canada” and “Standing Committee on Native and Original Peoples' Affairs,” respectively.

13.05 Upon the establishment of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission:

(a) The Native Caucus of the Liberal Party of Canada shall cease to exist and the members thereof shall be deemed to be members of the Aboriginal Commission; and (b) The Standing Committee on Native and Original Peoples' Affairs shall become the National Executive of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission with the changes provided herein.

13.06 Until the first biennial convention of the Aboriginal Commission after its establishment, the persons named to the Standing Committee on Native and Aboriginal Peoples' Affairs as officers shall serve in their same capacities on the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission.

ARTICLE XIV - CALGARY CONVENTION TRANSITION PROVISIONS

14.01 Subject to Section 14.02, the representation at the Calgary Leadership Convention shall be as follows (requirements for qualifications as an Aboriginal delegate must be met as of the adoption of the Aboriginal Commission Transition Amendments by the voting delegates at the Calgary Leadership Convention):

(a) The eight Officers of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission and the Presidents of the Provincial and Territorial Aboriginal Commissions or in the absence of Provincial or Territorial Aboriginal Commissions, the representative from the Province or Territory shall be the Provincial or Territorial representative on the National Aboriginal Commission; (b) One representative from each Aboriginal Club and two representatives from each Aboriginal Provincial/Territorial Commission or Association, one of whom shall be a woman; (c) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (b): (i) An Aboriginal Club shall have 25 or more Aboriginal members, have been in existence by March 31, 1990, and be accredited by the Executive of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission. (ii) An Aboriginal Liberal Association shall be an Association of Aboriginal Peoples that

21 has adopted an Aboriginal Commission Constitution in a province or territory; and (iii) The number and location of Aboriginal Clubs shall reflect the demographic distribution of Aboriginal Peoples across the country and the equitable proportionate representation of Aboriginal Peoples within the Party in accordance with the formula set forth in section 14.02 and, for this purpose, the Executive of the Aboriginal Commission shall provide the National Executive of the Liberal Party of Canada with an Aboriginal delegate profile setting forth the number of eligible Aboriginal Clubs for each Province and Territory and the number of Aboriginal Clubs for each Federal Electoral District.

14.02 The total number of Aboriginal Liberal Clubs eligible to send delegates to a National Convention of the Liberal Party of Canada shall be determined as follows:

(a) Subject to sub-paragraph 14.02(c)(iii), the maximum number of Aboriginal clubs per Province or Territory shall reflect numerically the demographic distribution of Aboriginal Peoples across the country, and in particular, shall equal to (A x B) - C where: A is (the Aboriginal population in a province or territory) + (the Aboriginal population in Canada); B is the number of Aboriginal Club delegates eligible pursuant to paragraph 14.01(b); and C is the number of provincial or territorial Aboriginal Commission or Association delegates eligible pursuant to paragraph 14.01(b). (b) The number of Aboriginal Club delegates (which is B above) shall be equal to [(D x E) + E] x D where: D is the Aboriginal population of Canada as a percentage of the total Canadian population; and D is the estimated number of convention delegates, not including Aboriginal Commission delegates. (c) Aboriginal clubs shall not be established in a Province or Territory where the number of ex-officio delegates is equal to or greater than the number of Aboriginal Club delegates that would otherwise be eligible in the province or territory pursuant to paragraph 14.01 (a) and (b) herein. (d) The location and accreditation of Aboriginal Clubs with a Province or Territory shall reflect the participation of the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples respectively in the Province or Territory and the demographic distribution of Aboriginal Peoples within that Province or Territory. For this purpose, the distribution of clubs shall be in accordance with Schedule 1 here, subject to adjustments from time to time by the respective Provincial or Territorial Aboriginal Commissions or Associations in consultation with the Vice- President for Organization, provided that the final distribution of Clubs must be ratified by the National Executive prior to the deadline for the accreditation of clubs. (e) Notwithstanding anything in this section, the Yukon Territory, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick shall be entitled to three Aboriginal Liberal Clubs.

14.03 For the purpose of the 1990 Calgary Leadership Convention, the delegates to the Aboriginal Commission Members' Meeting (First Meeting) shall include those members of the Aboriginal Commission who hold contingent delegate certificates.

22 ARTICLE XV - BYLAWS

15.01 The National Executive may enact bylaws as provided in this Constitution and is further authorized to make bylaws with respect to any matter over which this Constitution is silent.

23 CO-PRESIDENTS' REPORT Andrea Dykstra and Hank Rowlinson

HISTORY

The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada include First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The First Nations' communities throughout Canada have much in common, but each has unique needs, issues and distinctive cultures that are remarkably different from one another and other Aboriginal groups. The Inuit, whose culture was shaped by the demanding northern environment; and diverse, are Métis people, whose blended traditions from Aboriginal and European forebears are encapsulated, creating another distinct Aboriginal culture. Despite the uniqueness of all Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, there are also many commonalities shared.

This report recognizes that the Liberal Party of Canada has begun the process of rebuilding a relationship and has recognized the multiple realities of Aboriginal Peoples. It is within this Party that Aboriginal Peoples finally have an opportunity to have our voices heard and make a contribution to not only the Aboriginal Peoples, but to all of Canada.

With the creation of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission (APC) in 1990, the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) became the first and only political party to formally recognize the unique place that Aboriginal Peoples occupy in Canada, by providing us the opportunity to represent ourselves within a federal party.

The Aboriginal Peoples Commission represents and promotes the interests of Aboriginal members of the Liberal Party and encourages the active and equitable participation of Aboriginal people at all levels of the Party structure.

Since its inception, the APC has played an important role in the direction of the Liberal Party of Canada. Through the development of Aboriginal policy, through general elections, and through the Aboriginal caucus, the Commission has successfully represented the concerns of Aboriginal Canadians at the Party level, thereby increasing Aboriginal participation in the broader political system.

In November of 2003, the Aboriginal Liberal members in Canada elected a new slate of executives, on a promise that the APC drives the development of the Party's Aboriginal platform and so reflects the direction of Aboriginal members, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples of Canada.

24 ACTIVITY REPORT

The APC is resolute in creating awareness of the commission, and to educate Liberal members on our goals and objectives. In conjunction with education, our focus for this term will be to recommend changes to the APC constitution, increase Aboriginal membership, develop and bring forward Aboriginal policy, and draft educational material on the APC which will be distributed to all Riding Associations, MPs and Aboriginal communities.

The November Convention began with the promise of an optimistic future for Aboriginal people and is one that will be recorded as significant in the APC and Liberal Party history books. A record number of Aboriginal delegates attended as well as 10,000 Aboriginal joining the Liberal party which is an unprecedented feat.

Renewal is a people's movement, and since the pivotal inauguration of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission, that movement has been thriving. Never before has the Liberal Party witnessed a gathering of so many Aboriginal leaders and members in one place at one time at such an event. By our sheer presence, we have signalled to the Party that the matter of a renewed relationship is of national importance. With a new Prime Minister, the Honorable Paul Martin, the coming years are rich with the promise of an optimistic future for all Aboriginal Peoples.

There is strength of the Aboriginal people through one strong voice, and a great window of opportunity to invoke change for the betterment of us all. We see this Commission as a vehicle that will assist in bringing Aboriginal issues to the forefront, and as a tool that will educate non- Aboriginals to the realities that continue to face Aboriginal people today. Through continued participation and commitment of our membership, we can and will ultimately produce the resources necessary to initiate change and implement policy that reflects the needs of all Aboriginal Peoples.

The Aboriginal Peoples' Commission executive has been working extremely hard to ensure that First Nation, Inuit and Metis voices are present and relevant at the policy making and government forums. Provincial and Territorial APC Presidents met in Ottawa to develop a work plan and mandate. Part of this work plan was to facilitate the creation of a better communications strategy, update our website to connect with our general membership and develop strategies to ensure that Aboriginal voices and the voice of the Commission are heard at all party and government levels.

In January, we as Co-presidents participated in the National Executive meeting of the Liberal Party of Canada in Edmonton, AB. During this time, we and our VP of Finance, John Hill, had the pleasure of participating in the Alberta APC AGM. We had the opportunity to hear the concerns of Albertan APC members and discuss plans of action.

Shortly after this meeting, the APC national policy team put together a document containing our policy recommendations for the 2004 election platform document. We as Co-presidents, as well as VP Policy Wayne Helgason and Policy representative, Carolann Brewer were present at the platform development table, and we are happy to say that our policy team produced a final draft for submission to the platform ahead of the other commissions and PTA's. Great work team!

25 To prepare for the 2004 federal election, the table officers and PTO presidents met to engage in an Election Readiness Liberal University workshop and the finalization of an updated 'Aboriginal Vote' document.

This June, history was made once more. With the discussions from our April meeting, we assembled an information package for the election campaign which was used as a resource tool to educate Aboriginal Canadians on the importance of their vote, and of the policy positions of the other parties. This June saw each of the three national Aboriginal organizations, the Assembly of First Nations, the Metis Nation of Canada and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami unite to either support Prime Minister Paul Martin or the Liberal party or to denounce Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. This was a historic achievement that was realized in part by the participation and lobbying of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission and its executive, PTO Presidents and members at the riding level. We should all be very proud!

In our role as Co-presidents, we have traveled to different Aboriginal events to spread the Liberal message. Andrea traveled to Prince Edward Island to attend the Assembly of First Nations' Annual General Assembly to meet with First Nations people and discuss their ideas and concerns. She also attended various events geared towards young Aboriginal people to encourage them to become involved in the Commission. Hank has been involved in educating First Nation and Metis leadership at the national and provincial level about the APC, and the importance of Aboriginal involvement in the only political party which gives us a voice. Just recently, Hank attended the National Liberal Caucus events in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where he was able to promote the APC to the Chief and members of the St. Mary's First Nation, and has roused interest in activating the New Brunswick APC. Living in Ottawa has also given Hank the opportunity to participate in numerous Party and government functions were he is able to inform Liberals and government members of the mandate of the APC.

Since the Table Officers met in January 2004, the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission has spent most of its energies in election preparation. With the input of our table officers and some last minute Statistics Canada data, the document “Aboriginal Vote 2004” was written. This document, as most of you are aware, was a comprehensive, updated look at the Aboriginal demographics and voting trends for all of the ridings in Canada. This document was distributed to interested APC members and was made available to candidates and their campaign teams on the Liberal extranet.

Prior to the election call, the APC made some changes to the regulations surrounding the Aboriginal Electoral Endowment Fund (trust) in order to limit the effects of C-24 legislation upon it. This money was distributed to eleven (11) Aboriginal candidates at an amount of $3,000.00 each. The Liberal party had eleven Aboriginal candidates representing the party in this past election, more than any of the other parties and the highest number on record.

This past election successfully elected five of our Aboriginal candidates; Hon. Ethel Blondin- Andrew, Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Lawrence O'Brien, Paul Devillers and David Smith.

26 Now that the election is behind us and a new session of Parliament has begun, we are focusing our efforts on developing positive relationships with new MPs with Aboriginal profiles, including the new Minister of Indian Affairs, Andy Scott. This past December, during the latest APC Table Officers meeting, the Hon. Andy Scott, and the Hon. Ethel Blondin-Andrew facilitated a meeting with the APC and invited other Ministers and MPs to stop by to discuss the APC, our mandate and how they can help us achieve our goals. We want to thank the Hon. Sue Barnes, Roger Valley, Paul Devillers, David Smith and Lloyd St. Amand for their participation and insight.

This summer and autumn was a period of renewal for the APC. We will be working to launch a new website with a fresh look and up to date information including a new logo for the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission. In addition, we encouraged policy recommendations from you, the members, for the upcoming policy Biennial Convention in Ottawa, March 3-6, 2005. We want to thank all the Provincial and Territorial APCs from across the country, as we were able to accumulate 27 policy resolutions. Unfortunately we were only able to select our top five with one priority resolution going to the plenary session of the Convention.

There is strength of the Aboriginal Peoples through one strong voice and a great window of opportunity to invoke change for the betterment of us all. We see this Commission as a vehicle that will assist in bringing Aboriginal issues to the forefront, and as a tool that will educate non- Aboriginals to the realities that continue to face Aboriginal people today. Through continued participation and commitment of our membership, we can and will ultimately produce the resources necessary to initiate change and implement policy that reflects the needs of all Aboriginal Peoples.

In closing, we as Co-Presidents want to ensure our members that we are doing our best to ensure that Aboriginal voices are heard within the new organizational and financial structure of the Liberal Party of Canada. We would like to thank and acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the past APC Executive, say goodbye to those who will not seek re-election and welcome those who will be elected in March……………. let's keep up the pace!

27 VICE-PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS Cindy Woodhouse

Welcome to the 2005 Biennial Convention here in our great capital of Canada!

Since being elected Vice-President of Communications in November 2003, there has been a lot of political movement within the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission and the Liberal Party of Canada. Over the next few days, you will have an opportunity to vote on resolutions within the Party. We seek your feedback on what resolutions we, as the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission (APC), should prioritize.

2004 has been a busy year for all of us. The federal election that took place in June was a task in itself. I want to congratulate everyone for taking the time out of their busy schedules to ensure that our Party and its platform was heard clearly across Canada. On Election Day, Canadians made a celebrated choice that the Liberal Party of Canada was the Party that would govern this country. It shows that they have faith in our Party and we must not let them down; we must continue on and do our best for the betterment of Canada and the world.

The Aboriginal Peoples' Commission played a very important role in this past federal election. With the Aboriginal Endowment Fund we were able to ensure that our candidates had resources allocated to their campaigns.

In January 2004, Bill C-24, an act to amend the Canada elections act and the income tax which in turn changed the way any donations were given to a political party was passed. Please be advised that Corporations can donate no more that $1,000 and individuals may donate no more that $5000 per year. As well, please note that gifts (i.e., paintings) donated to a political party in Canada must be attached with a monetary value and recorded and counted for part of the donations per year that one individual or corporation donates.

As we all know, candidates in federal elections require the help of many volunteers, and with the Commission we are able to recruit new “AborLiberal” members to the Party as thus, many of our Aboriginal members within the Party dedicated hours of their own personal time campaigning door to door, fundraising and being of assistance in any way that they could be for the campaigns and candidates within their respective ridings as well as for our leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Prime Minister Paul Martin. I sincerely thank all of you for volunteering and dedicating your time away from other priorities for the success of the 2004 federal election.

As we are now well into 2005, I want to reiterate the importance of your involvement with the APC as we all continue to work towards recruiting new members, continuing to fundraise, raising the profile of the APC nationally and provincially as well as for your input into “The Voice” and our Web site and policy.

28 I look forward to continuing work with the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission as I feel very strongly that it is a positive political vehicle we can use within the Party to influence change for the betterment of our people in the years to come. However, we must work together and encourage the participation of our young people and welcome guidance from our elders so that we can move forward together within the Liberal Party of Canada. As you all know, this is new to many of us but very exciting and the people we meet and the possibilities that we encounter are endless. As the APC was established in 1990, we must continue to familiarize others within the Party with the APC so that we can positively understand each other's history and goals as to where we want to be in the future and for the betterment of the generations yet to come.

Again, I welcome you to the 2005 Biennial Convention of the Liberal Party of Canada. We have a lot of work ahead of us but together, we can accomplish the unimaginable. Megwetch!

29 VICE-PRESIDENT, MEMBERSHIP & ORGANIZATION Sheila Keewatin

First of all, I would like to officially thank the many people that have advised me throughout my term as VP Organization and Membership. It has been a very exciting time to be a First Nations person and to be a part of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission.

As Aboriginal Peoples, we have made great strides with respect to involvement in the issues, governmental and parliamentarian processes that affect each of our lives. On the other hand, there is always more that can be achieved if we work together, such as helping to get more Aboriginal MPs elected.

We had a record number of memberships for the Leadership Convention. It is my hope and a great part of my work for the Party and the Commission that we retain these membership numbers. It is very important that we implement an Aboriginal membership and organizational strategy. We need to ensure that our members are renewing their memberships and also organizing at the community level. Nationally, the Liberal Party is in the process of establishing a national database of memberships. This will be very helpful for our Aboriginal organizers in each of our provinces.

I would like to take this time to urge our delegates to take part in all aspects of our upcoming Convention. In particular and in order to advance our issues, it is so important to meet many new people and network with our fellow Liberals.

30 VICE-PRESIDENT, POLICY Wayne Helgason

As your Table Officer, I have been pleased to serve on the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission (APC) in the important area of policy discussion and development. The Constitution provides for us to have two representatives participating on the larger Party process through the Standing Committee on Policy Development (SCOPD). As such, we appointed Ms. Carolann Brewer and together, we have attended every meeting and conference call of the SCOPD. Carolann has been wonderful to work with in the continuous challenge of forwarding Aboriginal issues into the many range of priorities and issues with which the SCOPD is faced. We were successful in advancing a solid platform document prior to the last election which I believe had considerable resonance with the Prime Minister and the Party as a whole. More recently, the policy resolution development process provided challenges by virtue of the constricted time frames but we were able to pull together, thanks to the provincial/regional APCs and the Table Officers. We have advanced some very important resolutions for consideration at the 2005 Biennial well beyond our five minimum. Additionally, we were successful in arranging for a policy workshop specifically on Aboriginal issues. Only the Liberal Party of Canada has these specific mechanisms so that the very important policy and legislative considerations supporting Aboriginal people can be developed and implemented.

31 VICE-PRESIDENT, YLC Joshua Fraser

I am pleased to submit this report to the members of the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) with regard to my activity and work since being elected Vice-president (Youth) of the Aboriginal Peoples' Commission (APC) and APC representative to the Young Liberals of Canada (YLC). The APC, like most other Commissions in the Party, has been very busy prior to and since being elected at the 2003 Leadership Convention in Toronto.

As Vice-president for Youth, it has been my responsibility to ensure the voice, views and interests of Aboriginal youth are represented within all levels of the Party, especially in the role I play with the APC and YLC. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal leaders alike are very aware of the potential opportunities that exist for Aboriginals and all Canadians by embracing and engaging Aboriginal youth to get involved as full participants within all aspects of society. There are also significant challenges that we must first overcome before Aboriginal youth will participate to their fullest ability.

As Aboriginal youth are a marginalized and often economically disadvantaged group, due to financial restrictions, many cannot participate at a higher level in political activity. That is why I have been working with the national and provincial Aboriginal Commissions and young Liberals to assist with awareness and fundraising to support Aboriginal youth. Our goal is to try to have a fundraiser in each province so that Aboriginal Liberal youth can participate to their fullest potential.

I have worked with youthful Aboriginal Liberals and the YLC to develop a youth fundraising strategy and to create an Aboriginal Young Liberals Network (AYLN). The goal of the network and fundraising initiatives is to engage Aboriginal youth at the grassroots level on issues of importance to them and creating a network of like-minded Aboriginal youth to work together to address issues and to embrace opportunities. The work on these initiatives is ongoing, though there is much support and interest within all levels of the Party.

Prior, during and after the 2004 federal election, I continue my work as an avid determined young Aboriginal person committed to building bridges, measuring results and taking bold new steps to include Aboriginal youth. The election was a great time to shore up national support for the Party and let people know about the message of the LPC, the government and the Prime Minister with respect to its unprecedented support and determination to change the way Aboriginal Peoples are treated and live in this country, and to provide the best opportunities equal to all Canadians.

Regardless if I am re-elected or not, I will continue my goals and aspirations to bring Aboriginal youth issues and interests to the forefront of Canadian politics and society.

32 REPRESENTATIVE, POLICY Carolann Brewer

As the appointed representative of the APC to the SCOPD since July 2003, my primary activities have focused on formulating and consulting on national policy positions, representing the APC at SCOPD meetings, and providing policy input to the APC executive. My first and primary accomplishment was to review and update the APC policy positions. The absence of a policy convention or APC policy meeting, coupled with the variety and complexity of policy issues involving Aboriginal people complicated the already challenging task of arriving at a consensus policy position. In the face of an election, the potential influence of the APC's positions was fully appreciated. Our task was twofold: to educate the uninformed and to endorse mechanisms that would advance the Liberal Party's ability to advance the position of Aboriginal people within Canada. Our policy platform, which was based on the Prime Minister's stated priorities, presented an Aboriginal perspective on the meaning of democratic reform, the inclusion of Aboriginal people in the institutions of government and the need to recognize the contribution and significance of the Aboriginal social economy.

Following the federal election, SCOPD undertook its constitutional duty to plan and advise on the conduct of the policy convention. In addition to participating in frequent conference calls with SCOPD, members engaged in a review of the policy process. When the decision was made to hold the Biennial Convention in March of this year, the process went into high gear. Given that it was not feasible for the APC to hold a policy meeting, the National Executive agreed to solicit resolutions from each region. In late November, we learned that rather than ten resolutions, Commissions and Provincial and Territorial Associations (PTA) could submit a maximum of five. Of these five, only one would be a priority.

The priority resolutions were decided by an APC Executive conference call and five were turned over to SCOPD to be blended with resolutions from other regions or Commissions. SCOPD met for two days in January for this purpose.

In addition to the PTAs and Commissions, SCOPD has the option to sponsor policy resolutions. At my request, SCOPD members agreed to sponsor two additional APC resolutions; one concerning matrimonial property, and, in a modified form, the resolution on contaminated sites.

In addition to volunteering as the representative on SCOPD, I served as the Vice-President for the Ontario APC and the APC Returning Officer. It was a pleasure to work with the elected APC Policy officer, Wayne Helgason and the rest of the Executive at this time in the Commission's history.

33 PRESIDENT, APC - ALBERTA Robin Wortman

2004 Election - The APC in Alberta has been very active during the 2004 federal election, running two very qualified and able candidates in Chris Shade (Macleod) and Joe Dion (Westlock-St.Paul). Chris is a former Chief of the Blood reserve and Grand Chief of Treaty 7. Joe Dion is the former Chief of Kehewin First Nation and owns his own business dealing with resource relations with First Nations and the Oil and Gas industry. Chris is currently maintaining his activity as an Aboriginal stalwart in the Liberal Party working to promote and engage First Nation communities into becoming more involved and active. Chris recently won Aboriginal Liberal of the year award at the 2005 LPCA Policy Convention. The APC (Alberta) organized a joint fundraiser in Edmonton in 2004 to support our two nominated federal Liberal Aboriginal candidates, which was quite successful.

The APC (Alberta) has also been very active in working closely with the Liberal Party of Canada in Alberta (LPCA) to create awareness of Aboriginal issues, interests and opportunities during the election.

The Metis Nation of Alberta (MNA) and many First Nations came out with statements denouncing Conservative views on Aboriginal issues and reinforcing support for Prime Minister Paul Martin, the government and the Liberal Party of Canada.

We also worked with Alberta's various rural and urban Liberal constituencies to create awareness of ridings where the Aboriginal vote was significant, including a few particular ridings. Although we didn't win either of our Aboriginal candidates' constituencies, we did increase the overall Aboriginal vote in Alberta. Chris Shade was the first Liberal candidate in four elections in McLeod Constituency in southwestern Alberta to get his deposit back. That's worth celebrating! We provided Liberal candidates with information on how and who to approach in their constituencies to access Aboriginal support.

Tanya Kappo, President of APC in Alberta, resigned when she moved to Winnipeg. Tanya skillfully guided the APC through the leadership contest, the leadership convention, the transition to a new government under Prime Minister Paul Martin and the federal election in 2004. We owe Tanya a tremendous vote of gratitude for her leadership and service. On behalf of the APC in Alberta - Thank You!

The APC Executive met in December of 2004 and elected Robin Wortman to be the Interim President of the APC. This isn't the first time Robin has held this position. He was selected in 1996, then elected VP Finance to the National Executive and served on the APC National Table Officers until 2000. Robin was VP Organization and Membership on APC Alberta before being elected APC President last year. He looks forward to building on the solid foundation established by Tanya Kappo.

34 The APC Alberta held its first fundraiser in 2005! The Hon. Andy Scott, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Interlocutor for Metis and Non-status Indians, graciously agreed to attend a folksy "Meet and Greet" in Calgary on January 12, 2005. Ms. Sue Barnes, Parliamentary Secretary, MP London West, also attended. The funds raised will support Aboriginal youth delegates to attend the convention in Ottawa. Thanks everyone for your support!!! Minister Scott gave an inspirational and passionate speech. The event was a success in every way. Special thanks to Josh Fraser, Autumn Eaglespeaker and the LPCA staff for making it a success!!! Good job.

Ron Maurice, lawyer, Maurice Law in Calgary, has been appointed the new VP Finance of the APC in Alberta. Ron is Cree-Metis and has served in the past as VP Organization for the national APC Executive. We are pleased to have him back this time on the Executive in Alberta.

The APC Alberta was well represented at the Liberal Party of Canada in Alberta Policy Convention in Calgary at the end of January 2005. VP Policy Will Willier and VP Communications Murray Jurak submitted four policy resolutions that were debated at the convention. Josh Fraser and the APC youth also submitted a resolution on Aboriginal Youth Leadership & Empowerment. The same resolutions were submitted through the APC process and will make their way to Ottawa with one resolution addressing education funding and the youth resolution being two of the five priority resolutions.

Good work Will, Murray and Josh, thank you!

See you in Ottawa.