Social Policy and Program Branch for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

The Client
The program authorities for Indian & Northern Affairs Canada’s social development programs are subject to renewal in 2006. As part of its commitment to collaborative policy development, INAC is undertaking a joint process with the Assembly of First Nations through the First Nations/INAC Policy Advisory Group to discuss and achieve as much consensus as possible on the social policy program framework that will form the basis of the renewal of INAC’s social development programs.

The Challenge
The objective is to develop jointly a framework of policies and programs that address the social development needs of First Nations. The current policy environment creates an opportunity to consider some innovative thinking on the future of First Nation social development policy and programs. A key purpose of the social development policy framework is to provide the policy rationale and a directional blueprint for a change agenda.

How KTA Helped
KTA worked in collaboration with First Nations/INAC Policy Advisory Group in developing joint policy workshops for each of the social programs, including: Child & Family Services, Income Assistance, National Child Benefit, and Assisted Living. This included the review of key policy and program challenges and strategies for program reform and development. The result is a general consensus on a joint policy framework that provides an overall vision for the role of social development programs, a statement of the main guiding policy principles, identification of core program elements, and, for each program element, strategic objectives, strategies and priorities.