Political Quarterly Update: Summer 2022

It was an exciting summer season in Anishinabek Nation!  We were elated to see the return of Pow Wow season in many communities. We know numerous celebrations were put on hold during the height of this COVID-19 pandemic and acknowledge how the absence of our gatherings and ceremonies was tough for everyone. We’ve had the opportunity to visit some of these celebratory events over this season in various Anishinabek Nation communities and beyond. It has been a rejuvenating experience to witness the triumphant return of such a significant aspect of our life as Anishinabek. Coming together through dance and song, being around the big drums and sharing stories and meals together has had such an uplifting impact on our spirits. Experiencing the joy and happiness of everyone and seeing all the stunning regalia has us feeling such gratitude to be able to return to your communities in this manner.

We also saw the return of assembly season. Our regional and national advocacy organizations were once again offering in-person options for participation of their annual assemblies. The Executive Council was honoured to attend the Chiefs of Ontario All Chiefs Conference hosted by Independent First Nations and held in Toronto from June 14-16, 2022.  This year’s event returned in a hybrid format, allowing in-person for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.  It was a great experience to see the return of these important meetings with the offering of this flexible format. It is also important to allow for an online experience for those who cannot or do not want to attend in person. Communities require alternative methods of participation to reduce barriers in attendance and accommodate their leadership responsibilities. Aspects such as scheduling, budgetary alignments, and reducing travel have been identified as considerations when holding these events. We look forward to continuing to hold our own assemblies and regional meetings in a hybrid format and will continue to evolve our platforms for meaningful involvement.

During the same week, we also saw Bill S-10: Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Act being presented in the Senate and successfully went through three readings by June 17.  On June 22, the Bill had officially reached Royal Assent in the House of Commons. Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe congratulated the five First Nations that signed onto the Agreement.  The signatory First Nations include Moose Deer Point First Nation, Wahnapitae First Nation, Nipissing First Nation, Magnetawan First Nation, and Zhiibaahaasing First Nation and each is looking forward to enactment.  The official celebration and in-person signing ceremony will take place in the Fall and we look forward to sharing further once we have finalized details.

The Executive Council participated in the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) 43rd Annual General Assembly on July 5-7, 2022, which also offered in-person and online attendance.  We would like to thank the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Wauthuth for welcoming our nations onto their territory for this grand event. Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe and Regional Deputy Grand Council Chiefs Mel Hardy and James Marsden participated online while Regional Deputy Grand Council Chiefs Travis Boissoneau and Joe Miskokomon participated in-person. We saw a lot of familiar faces, including chiefs of Anishinabek Nation communities — it was so wonderful to connect with you all on such a picturesque territory!

While the AFN assembly had some unexpected agenda changes, it was a great opportunity for us to network and share best practices with others in attendance. We understand that some leadership have concerns about how the assembly unfolded. While there was a very important issue on the floor that needed to be addressed, it did not leave sufficient time for other priorities and mandates that required equal attention. We want to reassure our leadership that regardless of how the AFN proceeds, we remain steadfast in our advocacy approach and we will ensure the mandates that you have provided us are implemented in a timely manner.

Over the summer months, we of course saw the Provincial Election and subsequent Cabinet announcement.  We watched the Throne Speech closely and provided reactions indicating that Premier Ford and his Cabinet must prioritize their relationship with First Nations and implement action on priority areas. The Ontario Government has the duty to uphold the honour of the Crown; however, it also has the responsibility to fulfill Treaty obligations on behalf of Canada.  We look forward to meeting with Premier Ford’s office in the near future to bring forth the priorities of the Anishinabek Nation.

Building relationships is not only a priority at the regional, national, and political levels, it is also crucial to building a strong, positive foundation at our home base.  We were thrilled to have an opportunity to meet with the directors and managers for the first time in-person for a strategic planning session at Blue Mountain on August 1-2, 2022. Much discussion focused on implementing resolutions, mandates, and enhancing our operative structure to meet the evolving needs of our communities. It was truly encouraging to see the talent, skills, and knowledge that exists within our organization.  We are confident that our remarkable team will continue to advance the priorities of our communities and work towards lasting outcomes to advance our advocacy efforts.

As we look forward to the next quarter, we will be coordinating and planning for our next series of regional meetings and our Fall Special Chiefs Assembly. As always, we appreciate the input and feedback of our leadership in these planning processes and we ask you to please reach out to your respective Regional Deputies if you would like to bring anything to our attention.

Additional meetings attended:

• July 14 & 28, 2022: Meeting with the Ministry of Education regarding Indigenous curriculum changes.