Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

George Hemeon

• Introduction• Background• Current Realities• Challenges/Barriers• Benchmarks• Looking Forward• Questions

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

• Context

• Squamish

• Two Row Wampum

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

• Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

• Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

• Royal Proclamation, 1763

• Confederation, 1867 & The Indian Act

• Aboriginal Rights Movement: A White Paper and a non-decision

• S.35 Constitution Act, 1982

• Gathering Strength, 1997

Collaborative Aboriginal GovernanceThe Calder Case

• Demographics & Disparities

- unemployment, 19.1%

- income, 64%

- health and life expectancies

- infant mortality

- family violence and sexual abuse

- youth suicide, 8 times higher

- alcohol & drug abuse

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance“We are entitled to lay blame, but not to make excuses. Colonization created the conditions of material and social deprivation, but the failure to confront them is our own.” Taiaiake Alfred

• S.91(24), 92A, 93, 92(7) Constitution Act – federal and provincial jurisdictions

• Limited Consultation

• Aboriginal Policy is Complex• Vertical & horizontal barriers• Turf protection

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance“My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on.” John F. Kennedy

Challenges Facing Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

Shifting Political Will

We take great offence to the arrogant notion that these comprehensive 10 year goals and objectives were scribbled on the back of a napkin at the last moment. …The proposals discussed at the Kelowna First Ministers meeting were the result of nearly two years of nationwide consultations and conferences.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

Frustration

Grand Chief Phil Fontaine

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

Shifting Political Will

BC Treaty ReferendumA New Relationship

• First Nation’s Capacity to Collaborate• Devolution & the Reporting Burden• Sound Leadership

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

• Reaching Agreement• Co-managing Resources in the Yukon

Collaborative Aboriginal GovernanceLessons Learned

• Developing Shared Frameworks• Sharing Power – Sharing Responsibility

• Managing Disputes• Nova Scotia, BC, Nisga’a

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance

•Finding Common Ground•Tsawwassen Final Agreement

Lessons Learned

• Joint Planning• First Nations, Yukon & Municipal Governments

Like the Thunderbird of old I shall rise again out of the sea; I shall grab the instruments of the white man's success---his education, his skills, and with these new tools I shall build my race into the proudest segment of your society. Chief Dan George, 1967.

Collaborative Aboriginal Governance