The Charter of Rights and Off-Reserve First Nations People: A Way to Fill the Public Policy Vacuum?

Abstract

There is a great deal of talk in government and public policy circles about the need to improve the social outcomes of Aboriginal peoples in Saskatchewan, and in Canada generally. Yet, one of the most serious impediments to effective programming is bureaucratic wrangling over which level of government should be responsible for providing social programs to Aboriginal peoples, particularly those Aboriginal people who reside off reserves. The federal government regularly makes a distinction between on-reserve and off-reserve First Nation members in the provision of a wide array of social programs and, over the last decade, has several times unilaterally ended the provision of various types of social spending for First Nation members living off reserves.