The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) consists of 35 countries working together to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. On May 14, 2018, President Chartier attended the OECD Ministerial Meeting and Policy Forum in Montreal under the theme “Social Policy for Shared Prosperity – Embracing the Future”.
The Forum shared views on member countries’ challenges and accomplishments in social protection to ensure everyone can fully participate in society. They examined how rapidly changing economic and social environments present both challenges and opportunities for the design and implementation of social policy. This means developing social policies that promote diversity, social inclusion and equality.
Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Chair of the OECD event, Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, noted that Canada’s engagement with Indigenous peoples demonstrates how governments can achieve better decision-making and create policies and programs that better support citizens to fully participate in society. The Forum and Ministerial Meetings demonstrated a strong consensus in favour of inclusion, where all people can benefit from growth, but also have the opportunity to contribute to growth.
President Chartier commended Minister Duclos’ comments and expressed interest in working with the OECD. Earlier, MNC and OECD officials had discussed the potential for OECD to visit the Métis Nation homeland to look at the social and economic development strategies and programs that are being undertaken by Métis Nation governments.