What We Do

We help Aboriginal peoples and Northerners achieve their goals.

Along with our partners, other federal departments, First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations, provincial/territorial governments and circumpolar governments, private sector and non-government organizations, we are part of the solution, whether it's quality of life for Aboriginal peoples or Northerners seeking greater autonomy in managing their affairs.

We focus on five long-term goals or strategic outcomes that reflect our mission and are linked to government-wide outcomes.

• The Government: AANDC negotiates comprehensive land claims and self-government agreements with Aboriginal groups and provinces/territories on behalf of the Government of Canada. The Implementation Branch facilitates monitoring and coordination of the implementation of federal responsibilities under these agreements. In the Specific Claims process, AANDC resolves certain types of historic grievances like the administration of lands and assets or fulfillment of certain treaty rights through negotiations with First Nations.
  
  
• The People: To strengthen individual and family well-being for First Nations, Inuit and Northerners.  Currently, there are many programs within the department, such as the First Nations SchoolNet program, which provide support to ensure stronger First Nations, Inuit and Northern communities.
  
  
• The Land: The sustainable use of lands and resources by First Nations, Inuit and Northerners.  For example the Reserve Land and Environmental Management Program (RLEMP) establishes mechanisms for First Nations to be involved in a broader spectrum of land management activities including community land use planning, environmental management, and compliance.
  
  
• The Economy: To close the economic gap that exists for Aboriginal peoples and Northerners. Aboriginal Business Canada is a program that maximizes Aboriginal people's participation in the economy through business development.
  
   
• Office of the Federal Interlocutor: To improve socio-economic conditions of Métis, Non-Status Indians, and urban Aboriginal people.  This office works closely with provinces, national Aboriginal organizations, federal departments and organizations towards achieving an overall coherence in the services available to off-reserve Aboriginal Canadians.  For example, the Urban Aboriginal Strategy is an initiative put in place in 1997 to improve the living conditions of Aboriginal peoples living in urban areas.
  
  

Underpinning AANDC's strategic outcomes is Internal Services, an operational outcome which enables the department to be strategically, effectively and sustainably managed to support its mission.  Internal Services is a set of thirteen service categories including financial management services, public policy, human resources, and information technology services.

As an AANDC employee, you can be part of it all. These strategic outcomes shape policies, programs and services offered to Aboriginal peoples and Northerners. They were developed to clearly state where the department is going, and to track progress in achieving expected results.