Anishinabek Nation leadership and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister meet in Ottawa
By Cindy Males
OTTAWA—Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Glen Hare and regional leadership met with Canada’s Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett in Ottawa on November 26 to discuss the plan to improve social economic conditions for Anishinabek citizens including, the draft Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement.
Minister Bennett spoke about the Anishinabek Nation and all their hard work on the new education arrangement and says she speaks highly about the Anishinabek Nation’s efforts during her coast-to-coast-to-coast travels.
“This meeting is a chance for me to say thank you,” she added.
“We need more of that type of face-to-face meeting,” says Grand Council Chief Hare. “ (The federal government) have to consult with our leadership. They’re decision makers and so is she.”
Where the Anishinabek Nation reclaimed control of First Nation education resulting in the displacing sections of the Indian Act covering education, the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement would bring First Nations out from under the paternalistic Indian Act, by removing certain sections pertaining to band lists, elections, and band council governance.
The Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement covers four main law-making areas: to preserve, promote and develop the use of Anishinabek culture and language; leadership selection; citizenship; and the management and operation of government.
First Nations who ratify the Governance Agreement will be able to develop their own election laws and develop their own citizenship laws.
The agreement will also recognize the First Nations and the Anishinabek Nation as governments with the same legal status and capacity of other governments.
The supporting fiscal agreement will provide for increased funding transfers between Canada, the Anishinabek Nation and its member First Nations for the governance related functions.
Negotiations are near complete with community consultations and engagement expected to begin this winter in preparation for community ratification.
Additionally, an intergovernmental forum will be established with Canada to discuss matters of importance to the First Nations.
“The Anishinabek Nation is an excellent example of determined leadership which will advance the social and economic conditions of their citizens,” Minister Bennett. “I look forward to a future leadership meeting to keep advancing these important issues on their path to self-determination.”
“We’re so close, but we still have a lot to do,” says Grand Council Chief Hare.
The Anishinabek Nation leadership and the Minister spoke about another intergovernmental meeting for March 2019; however, a date was not finalized during the Ottawa meeting.