Renewing the relationship: Key documents

As the Government of Canada moves forward in establishing a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, certain key documents will be consulted and made more available to Canadians through this web page. Visit this page often as we will continue to add to it.

This is not an exhaustive list. These key documents are a part of larger discussions taking place with all Canadians on topics related to Indigenous Peoples. For more, please use the Government of Canada's publications index.

Are we missing an important document? Please let us know through our Facebook page.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The Government of Canada will support the work of reconciliation, continue the necessary process of truth telling and healing, and work with provinces and territories, First Nations, the Métis Nation, and Inuit, to implement the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Find out more:

  • the 94 calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released in an executive summary ( PDF Format - 13,321 Kb, 594 pages) in June 2015
  • the Final Report released in December 2015
  • next steps for the Government of Canada

Kelowna Accord

The Government of Canada is committed to renewing the spirit, intent and framework of the Kelowna Accord to help improve today's standard of living and quality of life for Indigenous Peoples.

Consult the Kelowna Accord, also known as the First Ministers and National Aboriginal Leaders Strengthening Relationships and Closing the Gap document (PDF Format - 75 Kb, 20 pages), on-line with Library and Archives Canada.

Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples

In 1991, four Aboriginal and three non-Aboriginal commissioners were appointed to investigate and report back to the Government of Canada on one over-riding question: What are the foundations of a fair and honorable relationship between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of Canada? The Commission held 178 days of public hearings, visited 96 communities, consulted dozens of experts, commissioned scores of research studies, reviewed numerous past inquiries and reports. Their five-volume report was released in 1996.

Consult the summary report (called Highlights in the list below) or the full report (archived on-line with Library and Archives Canada, or PDF version from Queen's University Research and Learning Depository):

First Nations in Canada

This brief history is used widely in schools and is one of the most frequently consulted documents on this website. Its aim is to help readers learn about the significant developments affecting First Nations communities from the pre-Contact era (before the arrival of Europeans) up to the present day. Read it on-line or download it to your e-book reader:

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