Ontario's minister of Aboriginal Affairs speaking at the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities conference. 8:55

Ontario's aboriginal affairs minister will be in North Bay Thursday to help launch a program aimed at educating the province's school kids about First Nations treaties.

David Zimmer will make the announcement with Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee in North Bay.

"We have to really make an effort, particularly on the non-aboriginal side to understand what treaties mean, what's in them, and what obligations arise from those treaties," he said.

According to the Anishinabek Nation, treaty education kits will be made available for teachers to use in the classroom.

Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer (Twitter)

The author of the teacher's guide is Kelly Crawford, a member of the M'Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island.

While in the region, Minister Zimmer will speak to the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities conference in Sudbury about the importance of a good relationship between municipalities and First Nations communities.

"There's lots of opportunities for municipalities. There's lots of opportunities for First Nations," said Zimmer, who's also the Liberal MPP for Willowdale.

"Those opportunities are available if we each approach the negotiation, if you will, in a fair and balanced way."