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Prime Minister announces appointments to further the government’s Aboriginal agenda
January 30, 2004
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced that, in keeping with the government’s renewed emphasis on Aboriginal issues, Andrew Telegdi, Member of Parliament for Kitchener - Waterloo, has been appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, with special emphasis on Aboriginal Affairs.
Given the critical and pressing need to improve the life chances of Aboriginal Canadians, all levels of government face a serious challenge to enhance policy effectiveness through improved coherence and integration. Current progress is too slow. At the same time, Aboriginal people are moving off reserve, increasingly to urban areas. Under the current approach, the interests and needs of many Aboriginal people fall between jurisdictions in an uneven program and service delivery system. Issues of jurisdiction between federal, provincial and local levels of government remain important, but they must not impede needed action. Regular dialogue and meetings with Aboriginal leadership and organizations will be essential.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, a Privy Council Office Secretariat and the work of the Cabinet Committee on Aboriginal Affairs will provide focal points for action. The new Cabinet Committee on Aboriginal Affairs is expected to begin its work soon.
The Honourable Andrew Telegdi was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993. He has served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and as a member of the Standing Committees on Citizenship and Immigration, Justice and Human Rights, and Canadian Heritage. Mr. Telegdi has also been a member of the Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament.
As Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Telegdi will be responsible for reviewing cross-cutting issues and exploring opportunities to improve the effectiveness of the government’s Aboriginal policies.
The Prime Minister also announced that John Watson, Regional Director General, British Columbia, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, has joined the Privy Council Office as Head of the new Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat.
John Watson held the position of Regional Director General since September 1991. During his tenure, he managed, among other things, the tripartite federal/provincial/native negotiation of self-government agreements, land claims and treaties, including the British Columbia treaty process and the Nisga’a Final Agreement. Before joining Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Mr. Watson held positions of increasing responsibility with the Department of Employment and Immigration.
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