Kelowna Accord
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The documents referred to as the Kelowna Accord are commonly accepted to be a working paper (entitled "Strengthening Relationships and Closing the Gap") developed between the Canadian government under then Prime Minister Paul Martin and the leaders of many Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The outcomes set out in the working paper sought to improve the education, employment, and living conditions for Aboriginal peoples through governmental funding and other programs. The term "Kelowna Accord" was never used at the First Ministers' Meeting, nor does it appear on either of the documents. The term first appeared in a Toronto Star article in January of 2006.
These documents resulted from 18 months of roundtable consultations cumulating at the First Ministers' Meeting in Kelowna, British Columbia and a separate press release, issued by the Prime Minister's Office at the close of the Kelowna meetings. These are the documents tabled in the House of Commons by the Honourable Ralph Goodale when he tabled "documents pertaining to the Kelowna Accords."
There was no plan included for the resolution of the current backlog of specific claims. This working paper was seen as a step forward by Aboriginal leaders, as it involved process of cooperation and consultation that brought all parties to the table.
The press release issued by the Office of the Prime Minister on the November 25, 2005 outlined $5 billion dollars in spending over 10 years, but did not set out the means for the fiscal distribution between federal departments, provincial and territorial governments and Aboriginal groups. In contrast to the consultative process which was crucial to the development of the working paper, the press release issued at the closing of the First Ministers' Meeting was developed and issued unilaterally by the federal government.
The Liberal minority government of Paul Martin fell, and the subsequent federal election resulted in a Conservative minority government headed by Stephen Harper. When presenting their first budget on May 2, 2006, the Conservatives indicated that they were committed to meeting the targets set out at the First Ministers' Meeting in Kelowna and the working paper therein produced, but that they did not agree with approach taken in the funding announcement set out in the former Prime Minister's press release. Rather, focused initiatives and targeted expenditures, coupled with systemic reform were laid out as the new government's direction.
In June 2006, former Prime Minister Paul Martin introduced a private member's bill calling on the government to follow through on the agreements made in the Kelowna Accord.
During testimony before the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, former Prime Minister Paul Martin was questioned on the lack of a signed accord, to which he could not answer. He was further questioned on whether the $5 billion had been budgeted, to which he admitted had not been done. Mr. Martin and former Minister of Finance Ralph Goodale testified that the $5 billion dollars set out in the press release were in fact in the Sources and Uses Table, an internal Department of Finance document which could not be produced or confirmed.
On March 21, 2007 the bill was passed by Liberal, Bloc Québécois and New Democratic Party MPs, while the Conservatives voted against it. By section 54 of the Constitution Act, 1867, the government cannot be compelled to spend money by a private member's bill.
The Conservatives have published their position in regards to Aboriginal affairs. Key points include; The Need for a Legislated Framework for Federal Aboriginal Expenditures; Self Government; Transparency; Respecting the Canadian Constitutional Framework; A Framework for the Settlement of Comprehensive Claims and Self Government Agreements; The Resolution of Existing Specific Claims and Lawsuits against the Federal Crown.
Canadian Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine has argued repeatedly for the implementation of the Kelowna Accord.
