Facilitation

The Treaty Commission's primary role is to oversee the negotiation process and to ensure the parties are being effective and making progress in the negotiations. In carrying out this role, the Treaty Commission:

	Accepts First Nations into the treaty process and assesses when the parties are ready to start negotiations;
	Monitors compliance with the fundamental principles of treaty making as set out in the Treaty Commission's Mission Statement;
	Monitors and reports on the progress of negotiations and encourages timely negotiations by helping the parties to set meeting schedules and monitor deadlines;
	Chairs key meetings at tables and offers advice to the parties, where requested;
	Assists the parties in developing solutions and in resolving disputes;

	Identifies, engages with the Principals on and reports publicly on, opportunities for progress and key overarching obstacles to progress (e.g., mandates, resources, capacity, etc.);
	Supports pilot projects with the potential to promote progress in negotiations (e.g., community planning); and
	Develops and applies policies and procedures for the six-stage treaty process.

The Treaty Commission continues to devote the greater part of its time and resources to facilitation. Over the past year, the chief commissioner, commissioners and staff have been involved in a variety of facilitation initiatives, often on a sustained basis. This demand has arisen from a number of circumstances.

	Intensified negotiations at Stage 5 and some Stage 4 tables;
	Stalled negotiations at certain other tables;
	Intensified inter-First Nation dialogue on overlapping and shared territories, particularly where negotiations are approaching final agreement;
	Intra-First Nation dialogue where break-ups threaten; and
	Relationship building among the parties to the negotiations and other key stakeholders (e.g., local and regional government). We anticipate that these circumstances will persist into the coming year. It is also expected that the Treaty Commission's attention and energies will be increasingly focused on:
	Initiatives related to the ratification of final agreements;
	Treaty implementation;
	Negotiations on matters best resolved on a sectoral or regional basis; and
	Renewed high-level talks among the Principals.