Functional Responsibility:
The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development is responsible for:

• promotion and facilitation of effective relations between the province and First Nation and Métis Settlement governments; First Nation and Métis organizations, businesses and people; as well as with northern Alberta municipalities, businesses, and people;
• managing the province's legal and constitutional obligations with respect to First Nations, Métis, and other aboriginal people;
• assisting the ongoing development of accountable, self-administering, self-regulating, and self-reliant Métis Settlement organizations;
• promoting and coordinating the economic and social development of aboriginal and northern communities.

The Ministry is responsible for the administration of the Constitution of Alberta Amendment Act, Métis Settlements Accord Implementation Act, Métis Settlements Act, Métis Settlements Amendment Act (2004) (awaiting proclamation), Métis Settlements Land Protection Act, Alberta Natural Resources Act, and the Northern Alberta Development Council Act.

Predecessor and/or Successor Bodies:
The origins of the ministry can be traced back to the establishment of the Liaison Group for Alberta Indians and Métis under the Northern Development Office in 1971. The Liaison Group was split from Northern Development in 1975 and renamed the Alberta Native Secretariat under the Minister without Portfolio Responsible for Native Affairs. A portfolio for Native Affairs was created in 1979. The mandate of the Secretariat was to act as a coordinating body for development of and access to government policies and/or programs affecting Aboriginal people, providing financial and other resources to facilitate development of Aboriginal organizations and communities, and the administration of land claims policy. The Secretariat had four operational units: Field Services, Policy and Planning, Administration, and the Managing Director's Office.
The Native Affairs Secretariat operated under the authority of the Minister Responsible for Native Affairs until 1986. In May 1986 the land and legal responsibilities of the Secretariat were transferred to the Department of the Attorney General, while the program-related responsibilities were transferred to Municipal Affairs and amalgamated with the Métis Settlements Branch to form the Native Services Unit. In 1989 the Unit was merged with the Improvement Districts Operations Division to form the Improvement Districts and Native Services Division. The Native Services section of the Division had the following operational units: the Office of the Executive Director, the Métis Settlements Branch, the Métis Services Branch, the Special Services Branch, and the Policy Section. In 1990, after the signing of the Alberta-Métis Settlements Accord and the subsequent enactment of new legislation, the Métis Settlements Appeal Tribunal and the Métis Settlements Transition Commission were established. The Métis Settlements Branch was transferred from Municipal Affairs to the Métis Settlements Transition Commission, and the Native Services section of the former Improvement Districts and Native Services Division once again became the Native Services Unit, reporting to the Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs.
In June 1991 responsibility for the Native Services Unit was transferred to the Alberta Solicitor General, but was moved back to Municipal Affairs in July 1992. In 1993 the Native Services Unit was transferred again, this time to Family and Social Services. In that same year the name of the Unit was changed to Aboriginal Affairs.
The Aboriginal Affairs section of Family and Social Services was transferred to the Department of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs (FIGA) in March 1997. Native Affairs had been listed as an issue area under the Department's Social and Cultural Affairs Division since 1972, and during the 1987/1988 fiscal year FIGA established a Director of Native Intergovernmental Affairs position, whose function was to administer Aboriginal constitutional matters. This position was later renamed Director of Aboriginal Affairs, and the Department's activities in the area of Aboriginal affairs were expanded to include participation in negotiations involving Aboriginal groups and other provincial governments, advising other government Ministries on Aboriginal matters, and negotiating with the federal government with regard to the provision of services to Aboriginal communities. After the transfer of the Aboriginal Affairs unit from Family and Social Services, the areas of Aboriginal affairs and intergovernmental affairs were combined into one portfolio under the Canadian Federalism Division of FIGA.
During the 1997/1998 fiscal year FIGA was reorganized and renamed Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs (IAA). The new Department had six Divisions: Trade Policy, International Relations, Canadian Intergovernmental Relations, Indian Land Claims (this was moved over from Alberta Justice during 1997/1998), Aboriginal Relations, and Aboriginal Self-Reliance Initiatives (these last three Divisions formed the Aboriginal Affairs section). The Minister's portfolio also included the Métis Settlements Appeal Tribunal and the Métis Settlements Transition Commission. After further reorganization in 1999 the Department was again renamed, becoming International and Intergovernmental Relations (IIR) with the same six Divisions as IAA, but with a new Associate Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. In 2000 the Aboriginal Affairs section was transferred to the new Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

The following agencies have been responsible for the primary functions of the Aboriginal Affairs section of AAND:

• Liaison Group for Alberta Indians and Métis 1971-1975
• Native Affairs Secretariat 1975-1986
• Native Services Unit (Municipal Affairs 1986-1991, 1992-1993; Solicitor General 1991-1992)
• Aboriginal Affairs Division (Family and Social Services 1993-1997, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs 1997-1999, International and Intergovernmental Relations 1999-2000)
• Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs 1972-1997

• Northern Development Office (under Minister without Portfolio Responsible for Northern Development 1973-1975)
• Northern Development Branch (Business Development and Tourism 1975-1978 Tourism and Small Business 1979-1980)
• Ministry of Tourism and Small Business 1980-1986
• Ministry of Transportation and Utilities 1986-1992
• Office of the Premier 1992-1999

Administrative Relationships:
The ministry reports to the Legislative Assembly through the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. A number of agencies are or have been administered by the ministry including the Northern Alberta Development Council, the Métis Settlements Appeal Tribunal (MSAT), the Métis Settlements Transition Commission (MSTC), and the Métis Settlements Ombudsman.

Administrative Structure:
The ministry has five core offices:

• Aboriginal Land and Legal Issues, previously known as Aboriginal Land Claims, which is responsible for coordinating land claims activities, land claims litigation and settlements;
• Aboriginal Initiatives, which is responsible for the co-ordination, implementation, and support of projects/initiatives involving Aboriginal communities, government and the private sector;
• Strategic Services, which is responsible for the implementation of the Government's Aboriginal Policy Framework, coordinating intergovernmental relations, and corporate planning for the ministry;
• Office of the Senior Financial Officer/Chief Information Officer, previously known as Ministry Support Services, which is responsible for the provision of financial service, human resources services, information technology, records management and administration for the ministry; and
• Communications, which provides strategic communications planning, issues management, media monitoring and relations services.

Names of Chief Officers:
Ministers of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development:
Pearl Calahasen 2000-present

Deputy Ministers of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development:
Patricia Meade 2000-2004
Shelly Ewart-Johnson 2004-current

1. the Northern Alberta Development Council sous-fonds;
2. the Metis Settlements Appeal Tribunal sous-fonds;
3. the Metis Settlements Transition Commission sous-fonds;
4. and the Office of the Métis Settlements Ombudsman sous-fonds.