Indigenous leaders say 'pass' to planned meeting with leaders of provinces and territories

Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) President Natan Obed and Métis Nation (MNC) President Clément Chartier will pass on a planned meeting with provincial premiers and territorial leader in Edmonton on Monday July 17.

They instead wish to be included in the federal-provincial-territorial intergovernmental tables, and the 2017 Council of the Federation meeting scheduled for Edmonton July 18 and July 19, reads a press release from the AFN.

The Council of the Federation was established in 2003 to enable Premiers to work collaboratively and strengthen the Canadian federation by fostering a constructive relationship among provinces and territories and with the federal government.

On Thursday Alberta Premier Rachel Notley told reporters that the planned meeting with Indigenous leaders on July 17 would be spent discussing progress on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and the Native Women’s Association of Canada still plan to attend.

The Assembly of First Nations will be holding a press conference on the Monday.