Congress of Aboriginal Peoples

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) (formerly the Native Council of Canada), founded in 1971, is a national Canadian aboriginal organization, that represents Aboriginal Peoples (Non-Status, and Status Indians, Métis and Southern Inuit Aboriginal Peoples) who live off Indian reserves, in either urban or rural areas across Canada. As of 2011, over 70% of Aboriginal Peoples live off-reserve.

Its head office is located in Ottawa, Ontario. The congress works with its affiliate organizations on issues that affect the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada who live off-reserve. Affiliates of the congress have their own constitutions, with some being separately funded through the Métis and Non-Status Indian Relations Directorate of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. The Métis and Non-Status Indian Relations Directorate works primarily with Aboriginal political organizations who represent the interests of Métis and non-status Indians (MNSI) and other off-reserve Aboriginal organizations.

The congress administers the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS) which links training to labour market demand. ASETS is designed to help Aboriginal people who live off-reserve prepare for and find high-demand jobs.

In 1983, the provincial Métis organizations broke away from the Native Council of Canada to form the Métis National Council.

In 1993, the Native Council of Canada was reorganized and renamed the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.

On January 8, 2013, a landmark ruling by the Federal Court of Canada affirmed the position of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples that Métis and Non-status are Indians under the Constitution. The Federal Court Action was launched in 1999 by Harry Daniels, Leah Gardner and the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples. This decision could have a significant impact on the relationship between the Government of Canada and the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada living off-reserve.

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples National Chief Dwight Dorey was elected at the Annual General Assembly in 2015. National Chief Dorey is a Mi’kmaq from Nova Scotia who previously served in the same position with CAP from 2000 to 2006.

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