Your idea: Re-Imagining the Place of First Nations
Re-Imagining the Place of First Nations
By Michael Morden
What better way for us to celebrate our 150th birthday then to shake off an important last vestige of our colonial past – the Indian Act?
Eliminating the Indian Act is hardly controversial. It is widely regarded by nearly everyone on the political spectrum as a necessary step in our collective evolution. The challenge is in finding our way towards this goal. To this end, the government of Canada should pursue a 4-point, 7 year legislative and policy plan that will allow us to fundamentally re-imagine the place of First Nations in Canada.
First, the Kelowna Accord should be immediately resurrected and honoured. Before nation-building, we must respond to the basic social and economic needs of daily life on and off the Reserve.
Second, the federal government must make a resource and manpower investment in self-government negotiations. Many negotiations tables currently exist; more should be opened. The presently sluggish process must be revitalized with fresh ideas and new energy, as well as an emphasis on results rather than process. The negotiations branch of INAC should be instructed to accommodate a wide range of self-governance structures. It must also engage all relevant parties. This includes traditional orders of government which still operate on many First Nations, as well as Band Councils. The resulting self-governance arrangements must be effective, appropriate, and viewed as legitimate by the people they are intended to govern.
Third, an independent arms-length Institute for First Nation-Building should be created by an act of Parliament with guaranteed federal funding. Modeled after existing non-governmental organizations such as the National Centre for First Nations Governance, this Aboriginal-run organization will consolidate research and expertise related to the achievement of functional self-government. The Institute will help individual and federated First Nations with capacity-building, constitution-drafting and resource development.
Finally, a new multilateral treaty should be negotiated between Canadian officials and all First Nations to coincide with Canada’s 150th birthday and the elimination of the Indian Act. Modeled after the Two-Row Wampum, the Great Peace of Montreal, and the Treaty of Niagara, this treaty will declare a new relationship between First Nations and Canada. It will guarantee respect for the autonomy of First Nations. It will also describe a mutual dedication to cooperation, interdependence and shared citizenship.
It is time to declare the end of one era, and the beginning of another. There is no undertaking more profoundly important to our social, economic, political and spiritual health as a nation than the renegotiation of First Nations-Canadian relations. The elimination of the Indian Act can be the centerpiece of a Canadian renaissance in our 150th year.
Great idea, too bad I am not selecting the winner. Michaeal what country do you think is the most innovational in it’s actions?
“It is widely regarded by nearly everyone on the political spectrum as a necessary step in our collective evolution.”
-What challenges exist in removing the Indian Act? Let’s discuss them if we can here. I believe that a historical context needs to be presented, one that is adamant in its demeanor about the intent and purposes and how it has been used as a policy towards Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples. It is successive through educating the Canadian mindset around the truths and realities this piece of legislation has performed itself since its first inception in 1876 as a tool of sorts to ensure uniform treatment. Through its autocratic governing it also formed an agenda for Aboriginal Peoples. Canadians will come to understand a dark history upon it’s Indigenous population and the reasons behind removing the Indian Act all together.
Frank Jr Molley
Listuguj First Nation, Qc.
Michael has offered a useful framework for thinking about the place of First Nations and I certainly agree with him on how profoundly important it is for ay country or any political party that claims to be committed to ’social justice’. I’d offer the following comments.
There is an urgency to ‘Re-imagining the place of First Nations’ because recent research conducted by the Department of Indian Affairs appears to show that, as measured by a couple of ‘quality of life’ indexes, the gap between First Nations and the rest of Canada has started to grow agin in recent years.
The first element of Michael’s 4 point plan is honouring the Kelowna Accord. I agree that is a necessary step but I don’t believe it is sufficient. First Nations must be the only ones in Canada that are still living with a federal deficit fighting measure instituted in the mid 90s – the year over year growth in federal transfers to First Nations for core services such as education has been capped at 2% for close to fifteen years. Transfers to provinces and territories have been more than restored but First Nations transfers have been ignored to the point where the country now has a new deficit to fight. At a minimum, in addition to Kelowna, there must be a commitment to a joint Federal-First Nation study of the adequecy and stability of transfers to First Nations and a commitment to act on the recommendations as this deficit is defeated.
On the second element of the 4 point plan, I would suggest that, while self government negotiations are re-energized, the Federal government commit to sitting down with the Assembly of First Nations to discuss their proposed new framework for the ‘Recognition and Implementation of First Nations Governments’. Challenging issues may emerge but lets not be afraid to discuss them and a more respectful negotiation framework may help produce more self-government agreements.
The third element in the plan is important, I’m just not sure why it couldn’t be built into the current (or a revised) Centre for First Nation Governance to avoid confusion and possible overlap and duplication.
A new multilateral treaty is an important idea; given our shared history with First Nations the treaty should be very clear on the federal responsibilities to First Nations and for maintaining the relationship in this ‘new era’.