The Ontario government has signed a political accord with the Chiefs of Ontario that Premier Kathleen Wynne says will guide relations between First Nations and the province.

"As we've seen time and time again, when this relationship is not respected or when the trust is broken, the consequences are painful and long-lasting," said Wynne.

The accord signed by Wynne and Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day in a ceremony at the legislature creates a formal bilateral relationship between the government and First Nations.

"We've taken an important step to renew the relationship between First Nations and Ontario," she said. "I want to acknowledge that in some cases the relationship has to be built, that it's not even a matter of rebuilding, but it's a relationship that has to be built almost from scratch."

The accord affirms that First Nations have an inherent right to self-government and that the relationship with Ontario is based upon respect for that right, but exactly what that means remained unclear.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne says the newly signed accord represents a renewal of the relationship between the First Nations and Ontario and is an important step in the ongoing revitalization of First Nations communities. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

"As I understand it, as we have discussions about education or social services or as we talk about economic well-being and resource revenue sharing, we need to define that self-government responsibility within each of those contexts," said Wynne. "I don't think that there's a blanket definition."

Treaty rights and the right to self-government "really aren't in question any more," said Day.

"What's in question is how do we start to rearrange the relationship with all levels of government to suggest that we have a rightful place at the table, and that we do need to start building those systems so that we can start taking responsibility in our communities."

Treaties should have some sort of enforcement mechanism just like trade agreements between countries, added Day.

"These are the hard discussions that we're going to have to have," he said. "We must create criteria on what that enforcement means."

Premier to offer formal apology

The deal also commits the government and First Nations to work together on a range of issues, including resource benefits sharing and jurisdictional matters, and calls for two meetings a year with the premier.

Day called it "the most important collective milestone in modern times," and said it will help advance First Nations jurisdiction and treaty rights "on our own terms."

One of the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was to add details on treaties, residential schools and First Nations history to Ontario's education curriculum, which will be done starting with a distribution of treaty maps to every public school, said Wynne.

"Everybody needs to understand the treaty promises our ancestors made that have since been broken, as well as our rights and responsibilities as treaty peoples today."

The premier said she would also apologize for the "horrors" of the residential schools and the "'60's scoop" of children from First Nations communities.

"We want to work with First Nations partners to make this apology formal, a full apology for these wrongs that I can deliver this fall on behalf of the government and all Ontarians."