Anishinabek Nation gathers to discuss belonging and First Nation citizenship
By Carley Lambert
CHIPPEWAS OF RAMA FIRST NATION — The Anishinabek Nation hosted the E’Dbendaagzijig (Those Who Belong) Naaknigewin Conference, a two-day gathering focused on belonging, identity, and First Nation citizenship, on August 19-20 at Casino Rama Resort in Chippewas of Rama First Nation.
The conference brought together Anishinabek Nation Leadership, champions, technicians, and First Nation membership clerks to discuss challenges communities face under the Indian Act and explore approaches based on Anishinaabe traditions, laws, and understandings of belonging.
In her welcoming remarks on Day 1 of the conference, Anishinabek Nation Southeast Regional Chief Marsha Smoke said that the work being discussed goes beyond changes to the federal registration system.
“This work is not simply about changing federal registration rules,” she said. “It is about restoring our understanding of belonging according to Anishinaabe law, our responsibilities to one another, and our inherent jurisdiction as Nations.”
Southeast Regional Chief Smoke said that the right of First Nations to determine who belongs to their Nations is inherent and does not come from the Indian Act or federal government.
Participants and guest speakers explored the issue of registration and the second-generation cut-off throughout the conference, with Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige addressing the issue during her keynote presentation, noting the impact section 6 of the Indian Act and Bill C-31, An Act to amend the Indian Act, have had on families and communities.
“Communities need to have the confidence to move away from colonial frameworks and adopt approaches grounded in our own traditions, Anishinaabe laws, and principles,” said Grand Council Chief Debassige, adding that section 10 membership codes can also mirror Indian Act definitions, which can exclude individuals who would belong under traditional kinship systems.
An update on Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements), was provided by Southeast Regional Chief Smoke, and Anishinabek Nation Legal Counsel Crystal Stevens spoke about the collaborative process on proposed solutions to the second-generation cut-off under Section 6 of the Indian Act.
Justin Thompson, an associate with JFK Law Firm and a citizen of Nipissing First Nation, spoke about challenging the second-generation cut-off and legal resource following Senate amendments to Bill S-2.
Dr. Jeannette Corbiere Lavell, Anishinabek Nation E’Dbendaagzijig E-niiganwidood/Commissioner, spoke about the purpose of the Anishinabek Nation E’Dbendaagzijig Naaknigewin, findings from consultation and the 2010 report, and the foundations of Anishinaabe law. She emphasized that belonging is connected to a person’s family and community.
“If you think to where you belong, your people—that is where your connection is,” she said. “We know who our people are. We are determining who our people are.”
She also called on the federal government to act without further delays on issues affecting First Nation families.
Day 1 also included presentations that discussed belonging through historical, cultural, and academic perspectives.
Dr. Damien Lee, Head of Indigenous Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, presented Between Membership and Belonging: Life under Section 10 of the Indian Act. Anishinaabe Historian Clayton King of Beausoleil First Nation spoke about clan belonging and identity, including the importance of using traditional gifts.
Day 2 of the conference focused on the work currently underway within First Nations and the next steps for citizenship and belonging.
Moose Deer Point First Nation Chief Tracy Hendrick shared her community’s experience tracing its membership through two original families and four family groups.
“I think it is a beautiful, messy family tree,” she said, explaining that Moose Deer Point First Nation has been working with Roots Forward to create a family tree database that allows community members to trace their connections through generations. “I can take any member of the community and trace everyone up the tree.”
The presentation provided an example of how communities can draw on their own histories and family connections when examining belonging.
Representatives from B’Maakonigan, the governing body of the signatory First Nations who ratified the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Act, also shared updates on their E’Dbendaagzijig work underway with First Nations.
Hillary McGregor, Policy Analyst for B’Maakonigan, spoke about where inherent rights stand following the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Act, what communities are saying belonging means, the work underway with First Nations, and what comes next.
Dwayne Nashkawa, Governance Development Director for B’Maakonigan, discussed the practical work being done around citizenship, including engagement sessions, think tanks, citizenship registries, information management, shared research, and tools.
The conference also highlighted the different experiences people can have with federal registration and First Nation membership.
“Some people have status, some do not,” said Southeast Regional Chief Smoke. “Some belong to a First Nation under its membership code but are not registered under the Indian Act, others may be registered but disconnected from their community.”
She said there are also children and grandchildren who have grown up knowing exactly who they are, even when Canada does not recognize their connection.
“Those realities are why we must always remember that registration and citizenship are not the same thing,” Southeast Regional Chief Smoke said.
The interactive conference was a welcomed opportunity for First Nations to share community experiences, examine the continuing impacts of the Indian Act, and discuss approaches to belonging in Anishinaabe law, clan, community, and the inherent jurisdiction of First Nations, and discuss next steps.