Public Service Commission of Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Public Service Commission

www.psc-cfp.gc.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation

1. What is the Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation Form (AAAF)?

It is a mandatory form that must be used for Aboriginal-targeted processes, internal and external, advertised and non-advertised. It is a solemn acknowledgement by the person to be appointed of their Aboriginal affiliation and is a condition of appointment.

2. What are Aboriginal-targeted processes?

These are processes where the area of selection has been restricted to Aboriginal peoples only. The advertisement would give specifications such as:

  • Open to persons who are Aboriginal peoples residing in the following area codes XXX
  • Open to persons who are Aboriginal peoples, members of visible minority groups and / or persons with disabilities.

In the case where the process is opened to more than Aboriginal peoples, members of other employment equity (EE) groups do not have to complete the AAAF.

3. When should the AAAF be completed?

The AAAF will be provided to the candidate prior to appointment and must be completed and signed by them before the Letter of Offer is issued.

4. Where is AAAF information stored?

Completed AAAFs will only be retained in the staffing file.

5. Will candidates be asked to provide proof of their Aboriginal ancestry?

Proof of Aboriginal ancestry may be required in the event of an investigation. Substantiating documentation such as Aboriginal genealogical evidence could be provided.

6. If documentation is needed to prove Aboriginal ancestry, who will be responsible for covering the costs associated with acquiring the documentation?

Costs incurred for the acquisition of documents related to Aboriginal ancestry will be the responsibility of the candidate.

7. What are the legal authorities for the mandatory use of the AAAF?

The mandatory use of the AAAF is covered by the authorities under the Public Service Employment Act and the PSC's Policy on Selection and Appointment.

8. Is there any consequence to giving false or misleading information on Aboriginal affiliation?

False or misleading information on the AAAF may result in corrective action such as revocation of the appointment.

9. What is the procedure for submitting a complaint or an allegation regarding fraud? Who will conduct the investigation?

Under section 69 of the Public Service Employment Act, only the PSC has the authority to investigate fraud. Allegations of fraud should be submitted in writing to the PSC Investigations Directorate, regardless of whether the appointment process is internal or external.

10. If the self-declaration part of the application form has been completed, is it still necessary to complete the AAAF?

Aboriginal candidates who are about to be appointed must sign the AAAF for processes limited to Aboriginal peoples and processes limited to PSC EE groups, which include Aboriginal peoples, even if they have self-declared as part of the application.

11. What is the difference between self-declaration and self-identification?

Self-declaration is the EE information, voluntarily provided by applicants to appointment processes, that can be used to determine eligibility when EE is a screening or selection criterion and for statistical purposes. Self-identification EE information is provided on a voluntary basis by employees, upon hiring and during workforce survey campaigns, and is used for statistical analysis of the workforce.

Top of Page

Operational issues:

12. I would like to add a paragraph in the letter of offer regarding the completion of the AAAF. What wording can I use?

You may use the following: “Completion of the Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation Form is a condition of appointment. Your appointment cannot take effect unless you have completed and signed the form.”

13. I would like to add a note in the advertisement. What wording can I use?

The following wording currently appears in Public Service Resourcing System and should be used in Publiservice and all forms of advertisement: “For appointment processes where the area of selection is limited to Aboriginal people or to members of designated employment equity (EE) groups that include Aboriginal peoples, the Aboriginal candidate(s) proposed for appointment or appointed must complete and sign the Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation Form as a condition of appointment even if they have already self-declared as an EE member when applying.”

14. I would like to send an e-mail to candidates asking them to complete the AAAF. What wording can I use?

You may use the following: “The area of selection for this appointment process is limited to Aboriginal peoples or to membersof EE groups that include Aboriginal peoples. As you are an Aboriginal person and are to be appointed, a condition of the appointment is that you complete and sign the Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation Form. This form must be completed prior to or at the same time as the offer of appointment, even if you have already self-declared as an EE member when you applied. Please complete and sign the attached form and return it to (name) by (date). If you need assistance to complete the form, please refer to the Reference Document for Completing the AAAF and other pertinent information on the AAAF at the PSC Web site: www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/plcy-pltq/eead-eeed/dg-gd/aaa-eng.htm.”

15. Does the AAAF need to be completed for appointments made from processes initiated prior to January 1, 2010?

Given that this policy applies to appointments made on or after January 1, 2010, where the area of selection is limited to Aboriginal peoples or to members of EE groups that include Aboriginal peoples, the AAAF should be completed and signed by Aboriginal candidates for all appointments made as of the effective date of the policy.

16. At what point of the staffing process should the AAAF be completed and signed?

The AAAF must be completed prior to or at the same time as the offer of appointment. In the case of internal processes, for convenience, organizations may wish to ask the candidate to complete and sign the AAAF as soon as the appointment decision is final and the second notification has been issued.

17. If the appointment process is not restricted to Aboriginal peoples, can the AAAF be used for organizational needs?

No. The AAAF is only to be used in processes where the area of selection is limited to Aboriginal peoples or to EE groups that include Aboriginal peoples. The PSC will monitor the implementation of the AAAF for one year and evaluate the impact on the appointment system prior to expanding its use to other processes, such as those involving organizational needs in the merit criteria.

18. In a case were the area of selection is expanded, such as when a process is open to all employees of a given organization across Canada and to Aboriginal employees in the National Capital Region, does the AAAF have to be completed by successful Aboriginal candidates?

No. The AAAF is to be used only in processes where the area of selection has been restricted to Aboriginal peoples or to EE groups that include Aboriginal peoples, not for instances where the area of selection has been expanded.

19. Should the AAAF be completed in the case of a deployment?

No. Deployments are not appointments and do not fall within the mandate of the PSC; they fall under the mandate of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

20. Should managers or human resources (HR) advisors be asking applicants for proof of Aboriginal ancestry?

No. Managers and HR advisors are not expected to request proof of Aboriginal ancestry. If they have serious doubts about a candidate's claim to be Aboriginal, it is recommended that they consult with their organization's legal services or the PSC's Investigation Directorate for advice on how best to handle the situation.

21. Should the AAAF be completed by students hired under the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) or the Co-op/Internship Program (CO-OP)?

No. Since FSWEP and CO-OP hirings are not appointments under the Public Service Employment Act, the AAAF should not be completed.

Top of Page

Issues related to Aboriginal status:

22. If an Aboriginal person proposed for appointment is awaiting for their status card, how would this person complete the AAAF?

This person should identify as a non-status Indian.

23. In the 1960s, many Aboriginal children were adopted and may have difficulty tracing their ancestry. How would they complete the AAAF?

They should identify as non-status Indians.

Footer

Date Modified:
2010-07-09