The time has come to engage in a national discussion aimed at reconciling Canada's aboriginals with the rest of the country, Assembly of First Nations national chief Phil Fontaine said Tuesday.
Fontaine told the assembly's annual meeting the process should redefine the relations between aboriginals and the federal government.
"We need now to embark on a national discussion about what this relationship will be," he said.
"What will reconciliation will look like? How can it be achieved? Reconciliation will not happen in one day or in several days."
The Assembly of First Nations is seeking the help of the Council of the Federation to help solve the problems faced by aboriginal communities.
The council, composed of the 13 provincial and territorial leaders, is also meeting in Quebec City this week.
Fontaine said he hopes his group and the council can present a united front to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
The objective would be to press the federal government to craft a plan to address problems with education and living conditions in native communities.
"I'm pretty certain that one of the results will be a joint call from the Council of the Federation and aboriginal leaders on the prime minister to convene a meeting," Fontaine said.
It would discuss funding, "socio-economic conditions and education and the severe underfunding of our schools and our education system." Investing in childhood education and teaching aboriginal languages and culture is of paramount importance, Fontaine said.