Leaders of First Nations are gathering in Quebec on Tuesday for a two-day summit to talk about the "crisis situation" facing aboriginal communities across Canada.

A draft agenda for the Assembly of First Nations policy forum in Gatineau says the leaders will discuss what the assembly calls "fiscal discrimination," aboriginal poverty, outstanding land claims, health issues and a national day of action slated for June 29.

The agenda also says discussion will include a statement by chiefs on the "crisis situation" First Nations face.

Phil Fontaine, chief of the assembly, told CBC News early Monday that the crisis has arisen in part because aboriginal poverty has deepened across the country. Fontaine is expected to give a keynote address at the summit on Wednesday.

"First Nations poverty is an enormous burden not just on our people, but on the entire country. First Nations poverty is a stain on Canada," he said.

Land claims are also expected to be an important issue at the summit. There are more than 800 outstanding land claims in Canada and the assembly has said it would take about 130 years to resolve the outstanding claims at the current pace of negotiations.

Don Maracle, chief of the Tyendinaga Mohawks, told CBC News that land claim settlements are a priority.

Mohawks from Ontario's Bay of Quinte have been embroiled in a land claim dispute over a tract of land near the Kingston-area town of Deseronto.

The Mohawks, who say the land was illegally taken from them in 1832, barricaded a Via Rail line in the area for 30 hours last month in protest. They also blocked the entrance of a gravel quarry in November, January and March.

Maracle said the federal government needs to change the way it handles land claims or these types of protests will only become more frequent.

"There are many claims that are backlogged in the system and those claims have to be addressed," said Maracle. "Otherwise, I fear you could have the same sort of protest occur in other parts of the country."

Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jim Prentice said on the weekend that he is considering the idea of making changes to the way land claims are handled in Canada.

'A bit of hope'

Major changes are expected at the Indian Claims Commission, a body that investigates First Nations land claims that have been rejected by the government.

The commission has the power to make recommendations to the federal government about how claims could be resolved, but it cannot make independent rulings.

Fontaine said changes to the commission would be welcome given the huge backlog of claims.

"What we have heard so far has been very encouraging and gives us a bit of hope that we're about to see something very different than what we have now because what we have now just doesn't work," he said.

"If it's truly an independent body that has the ability to make binding decisions and that has enough resources to do what needs to be done, and if it's a more efficient body than is currently available to us, I think that would be a huge improvement to the current system," he added.

But he said the proposed changes are not going to solve all aboriginal problems and First Nations should be consulted before changes are introduced.

Public information campaign

"The land claims proposal should not be seen as a cure-all. We want to see a very serious and very clear commitment that this government is prepared to do something about First Nations poverty. The fair and just resolution of land claims is one part of that undertaking."

Fontaine said the idea for a national day of action came from a special meeting of chiefs in December, when they decided they wanted to launch a public information campaign to tell Canadians about poverty on and off reserves.

On the national day of action, Chief Terry Nelson of Roseau River First Nation in Manitoba has called for a blockade of rail traffic. The Roseau River First Nation has an outstanding land claim that dates back to 1903.

Asked if he supports such action, Fontaine said he has always advocated diplomacy, negotiation and treating others with respect, but he understands the frustration behind the call for a blockade.

"As far as that situation goes, we are talking about a community and a leader who is very frustrated."

Fontaine said it should be remembered that all Canadians have a right to protest.

The special meeting of chiefs also includes a discussion on the federal response to such issues as the quality of drinking water in aboriginal communities, the availability of affordable housing and the state of child welfare.