On Tuesday evening, the federal government signed various agreements with aboriginal leaders at the Liberal cabinet retreat.

The agreements signed with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Métis National Council, Native Women's Association of Canada and Congress of Aboriginal Peoples promise the federal government will no longer develop aboriginal policies without aboriginal input.

Paul Martin proclaimed, "This principle of collaboration will be the cornerstone of our new partnership." Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott called the agreements "historic" and added, "We're carving out a new relationship."

Déjà vu? In 1998, the federal government unveiled its Gathering Strength Initiative. Federal news releases stated one of the principles of the Gathering Strength Initiative was, "A new partnership among aboriginal people and other Canadians that reflects our mutual independence and enables us to work together to build a better future."

In the Throne Speech the Martin government promised to improve living conditions on native reserves. The agreements signed Tuesday establish negotiations on how to improve living conditions on reserves. These talks will likely continue until the first minister's meeting this fall, if not well into the 22nd century.

If the federal government was serious about improving living conditions on reserves they would stop talking and start implementing private property ownership on reserves and measures to improve accountability.

Since 1997, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has been urging the federal government to implement a system of private property ownership on Indian reserves as a means of empowering natives and reducing poverty. The CTF was encouraged earlier this year when Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott expressed interest in implementing such reforms. Yet all that has been done to date is a lot of talking.

Aboriginals on reserves cannot own the land they live on. Even the tribes themselves cannot own the land. Instead, the land is held in trust by the Canadian government.

It is demeaning to aboriginals for the federal government to continue to hold title to Canada's Indian reserves. Aboriginals should decide - on a band-by-band basis - whether their long-term interests are to be achieved through the private ownership of land, or the existing collectivist approach. Until that has been established, aboriginals are doomed to a life of poverty and dependency on government handouts because without private property rights wealth creation can not happen. Drive through almost any reserve in the country today and the evidence is ample.

Accountability is a huge issue on reserves. The Auditor General of Canada is an independent audit office serving parliament and taxpayers, and is widely respected for the quality and impact of its work.

The auditor general's office is able to achieve its goals by conducting independent audits and studies that provide objective information, advice, and assurance to parliament, government, and taxpayers by working collaboratively with legislative auditors, federal and territorial governments, and professional organizations.

Unfortunately, once the federal government transfers money (tax dollars) from the federal departments to native bands, the auditor general no longer has the authority to audit how and where the money is spent. No checks and balances foster inefficiencies, redundancies, abuse and even corruption.

The expansion of the existing auditor general's mandate to include native bands would not require as many tax dollars to operate a separate aboriginal auditor general. Furthermore, the standard of audits, mandates and scrutiny would remain consistent. The audits would uncover waste, mismanagement, and corruption and would provide band members and taxpayers with an indication of the efficiency, effectiveness and the quality of services being offered on reserves.

The federal government and native leaders have spent decades talking about the problems with aboriginal policy while maintaining the status quo. Time will tell if the "new" partnerships and "new" agreements signed Tuesday will actually lead to some "new" action and "new" policies that will finally improve living conditions and accountability for aboriginals.