The Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) is founded on the collective goal to enhance, promote, and foster the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of First Nations and Métis women within First Nation and Canadian societies.

NWAC is an aggregate of 13 Native women’s organizations from across Canada and was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1974. Much like a "Grandmother's Lodge", we as aunties, mothers, sisters, brothers and relatives collectively recognize, respect, promote, defend and enhance our Native ancestral laws, spiritual beliefs, language and traditions given to us by the Creator.

MISSION STATEMENT

To help empower women by being involved in developing and changing legislation which affects them, and by involving them in the development and delivery of programs promoting equal opportunity for Aboriginal women.

OBJECTIVES

The principles or objectives of the Native Women's Association of Canada are as follows:

• to be the national voice for Native women;
• to address issues in a manner which reflects the changing needs of Native women in Canada;
• to assist and promote common goals towards self-determination and self-sufficiency for Native peoples in our role as mothers and leaders;
• to promote equal opportunities for Native women in programs and activities;
• to serve as a resource among our constituency and Native communities;
• to cultivate and teach the characteristics that are unique aspects of our cultural and historical traditions;
• to assist Native women's organizations, as well as community initiatives in the development of their local projects; and
• to advance issues and concerns of Native women; and to link with other Native organizations with common goals.

VISION

We have a vision of Aboriginal communities where all individuals have an opportunity to develop their talents in order to achieve their full potential. We see communities where all people can lead healthy lifestyles by maintaining balance in their spiritual, emotional, mental and physical health.

We see Aboriginal communities where our children grow up with pride and a strong identification of who they are. They constantly seek to broaden their knowledge of the things that affect them and their relationship with the environment and the land. We see communities where all our people have an opportunity to learn our history and traditional ways while attaining a high level of academic education with the broader society.

In order to accomplish this we see strong Aboriginal families where the responsibility of education begins in the home and families nurture their children to be proud of who they are, and to be comfortable in a predominantly non-Aboriginal environment. We see a community where all Aboriginal people accept and exercise their responsibilities to contribute to a strong community.

We also envision an Aboriginal community which understands and respects the diversity and uniqueness of all Aboriginal nations—a community which communicates with each other and works in unity with all Aboriginal organizations to ensure a strong voice in maintaining and enhancing the exercise of our Aboriginal and treaty rights. This is a community which assumes responsibility in selecting leaders who will be role models for our youth and the following generations.

Finally we see an Aboriginal community which determines how our natural resources are utilized and can coexist in co-operation with society—free of racism and discrimination.

BELIEFS AND PRINCIPLES

We believe that every individual has a talent and has the responsibility and opportunity to develop that talent. The education, knowledge and confidence to develop and exercise that talent begins in the home. The family has a responsibility to nurture their children in a way which helps their child to develop his or her talents.

To achieve her/his full potential an individual must achieve a balance between understanding traditional ways and values and mastering academic disciplines. This will help the child to function equally well within the Aboriginal and the predominantly non-Aboriginal community.

In order to be of help to our communities, we must strive for Aboriginal unity. To do this we have to recognize our diversities while we focus on our commonalities. Since we are part of the environment we must have respect for that environment and consistently use a holistic approach in all our endeavours.

We require a stronger and more consistent voice if we are to implement change and work towards the common goal of the advancement of Aboriginal peoples. We must work at entrenching and protecting the rights of Aboriginal women and families.

We recognize that the gains and advancements accomplished by Aboriginal women benefits everyone.