- To provide an organization for off-reserve Aboriginal People in New Brunswick for the purpose of advancing their cultural, traditional, economic, and general living conditions.
- To work together toward reaffirmation, protection, and implementation of our Aboriginal, Treaty, and Land Claim Rights as Aboriginal People of New Brunswick.
- To work with all levels of government, public and private agencies, and private industry to improve social, educational, and employment opportunities for people of Aboriginal ancestry of New Brunswick.
- To foster and strengthen cultural identity and pride among people of Aboriginal ancestry in New Brunswick.
- To inform the general public of the special needs and rights of the people of Aboriginal ancestry of New Brunswick and of their efforts to achieve full participation in the economic, social, and political life of the province.
- To cooperate with all other Aboriginal organizations whose aims are similar to those of this society.
Roots in community leadership
The New Brunswick Association of Métis and Non-Status Indians—now the New Brunswick Aboriginal Peoples Council (NBAPC)—was formally organized in May 1972 when an interim Executive was elected. Just three months later the association incorporated under provincial law, holding its founding assembly at the Lord Beaverbrook Hotel in Fredericton with 20 delegates present. From those early meetings, the Council has grown to include 16 community locals that connect off-reserve Indigenous Peoples across the province.
NBAPC is affiliated with the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP), formerly the Native Council of Canada. CAP is headquartered in Ottawa and represents more than 1,034,260 off-reserve Indigenous Peoples nationally, strengthening NBAPC’s voice at the federal level.
Within New Brunswick we are organized into community locals supported by a provincial body for administration and communications. Seven zones make up our structure, each electing a Board Director to ensure regional priorities are heard.
Building influence and services
Initial funding in 1972 came from a Department of Secretary of State grant that supported Executive and Communication Fieldworkers and established our first office. Since then NBAPC has steadily expanded long-term programs such as Housing and Economic Development while completing feasibility studies, information packages, audio-visual presentations, and other educational tools that strengthen our communities.
Politically, NBAPC has maintained a high profile by making presentations on the Inherent Right to Self-Government, conducting extensive housing surveys, and submitting comprehensive briefs to both provincial and federal governments. Today we proudly serve approximately 28,260 Status and Non-Status Indigenous Peoples living off-reserve in New Brunswick.
Our members live in villages, towns, cities, and rural areas across the province. NBAPC provides culturally grounded services, programs, and advocacy that ensure their voices influence the social, economic, and political landscape of New Brunswick.