Extensive community engagement, discussion, and law-making continue as Wahnapitae takes next step toward self-governance

By Nick Stewart

Anishinaabe sovereignty is given by the Creator, and that gift includes that which is identified today as Treaty and Inherent rights – a gift which Wahnapitae First Nation (WFN) seeks to honour as it continues its journey of self-governance.

As one of the first communities to sign onto the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement in early 2020, WFN has been hard at work in moving away from the oppression and colonialism of the Indian Act. Having conducted pre-implementation activities from Nov. 2020 through June 2021, WFN is now in a transitional phase and is preparing to begin extensive community consultation for implementation in 2022 and beyond – and in doing so, learning about the many ways it can better empower its community members.

While there are many direct advantages of implementing the Governance Agreement within the community, that work is a long-term effort to be rooted in extensive consultation and the will of community members. In the meantime; however, WFN’s journey of preparing for this transition has already revealed a number of unexpected benefits for the community:

Preservation of Historical Knowledge

To better understand how to proceed with the opportunities available to WFN within the Governance Agreement, it was important for the project team and community members alike to be able to understand where the community has truly been, and where it is now. It is only with this knowledge that planning for the future can truly honour the past.

This work took place within the pre-implementation phase, as the project team undertook long discussions with the Chief and Council (past and present), Elders, community members, administrative experts, and each other. In addition, the team conducted a full inventory and analysis of all current bylaws and policies; these were then mapped against the Governance Agreement areas of governance, as well as WFN’s historical context.

Ultimately, this outlined how WFN has arrived at the current stage of its journey and has helped to ensure the full story of WFN can continue to be told through today’s youth and for generations to come.

This also set the stage for comparing the current and historical realities of the administration and the community against whatever information the legal and technical analysis of the Governance Agreement would provide.

Identification of Self-Governance Opportunities

While the Governance Agreement outlines countless new opportunities for signatory communities to more freely exercise their Inherent right to self-governance, it also stands as a dense network of legal and technical questions.

As such, a key component of pre-implementation was to engage experts in this field to conduct a full analysis of the Governance Agreement: to move forward, the community needed to have an early outline about what it can or cannot do, legally speaking, when considering its own implementation of the Governance Agreement. Further, this analysis included a breakdown of the best practices of other self-governing First Nations.

With this information in hand, WFN now has a better understanding of the practical impact of the Governance Agreement. This has created a shared conversation and exploration of how to meet the requirements of the Governance Agreement while also opening up new opportunities and new ways of thinking about how best to structure transparency and accountability within the administration.

Implementation of Community-Focused Technology

COVID-19 brought many complications to Governance Agreement pre-implementation, including the ability to directly engage face-to-face with members – a major issue, given the key role of member feedback in this work.

To address the problem, the project team looked to technology when physical solutions weren’t available. For example, this included the implementation of mass e-mail technology, which allowed the team to be able to reach all community members quickly and unobtrusively, regardless of location, and in a way that meets their particular preferences and needs.

Along with virtual survey functionality and video conferencing, this not only allowed for safer engagement with on-reserve members; it also allowed for new, invigorated connections with off-reserve members as well. These particular improvements will extend far beyond the life of the project, serving all communications needs of the administration going forward and in a true long-term capacity.

Community Engagement and Community Champions

The Governance Agreement is a complex agreement with many ramifications, technical details, and opportunities. As such, it was crucial that WFN connect and consult with members in a way that creates a two-way sharing of knowledge on these many different aspects.

Based on the results of extensive outreach to members both on and off-reserve, the project team was able to assemble eight separate focus groups, one for each of the project areas under the Governance Agreement.

Several months of lengthy consultation with participants – through surveys, engagement sessions, and conversation – created an open, honest space for grassroots technical analysis by community members, rooted in the legal assessments, and community history. This led to truly collaborative development of understanding about the project; it also allowed for a deep dive into those discussions and a serious look at the practical implications of the Governance Agreement in the community.

As the project moves forward and the collective understanding grows around the Governance Agreement and its implications, those involved with this initiative as early participants and organizers have gradually emerged as true community champions. This allows them to serve as ambassadors for this work within the community, creating space for genuine excitement and enthusiasm now and through the many years that will follow into implementation.

Preparation for the Future of Self-Governance

With pre-implementation work now complete, WFN is now nearly ready to take the next step on its journey of self-governance. Transition planning is now underway in preparation for implementing the Governance Agreement – a process of extensive community engagement, discussion, and law-making which will span many years. Thankfully, the shared knowledge and understanding needed to do so is now in hand, rooted in a community perspective and in the spirit of the Seven Grandfather Teachings.

As the community continues on this important journey, WFN eagerly looks forward to working with other Anishinabek Nation First Nations to honouring the Creator’s gifts together and making our shared self-governance a reality.