Assembly Of First Nations

Election Day is October 14th - Your Vote Counts!

2008-10-10T14:33:00.004-04:00

October 14th is voting day in Canada's 40th federal election.

In order to assist you in making an informed choice - and to give you a little weekend reading! - the AFN has posted on its website the platforms of all the political parties, the answers each political party provided to our questionnaire on First Nations issues, and analysis of the party responses and platforms. Go here to get all the information.

Also, be aware that identification requirements for voting in the election have changed, and these changes affect First Nations. You can get the info from the AFN website here (and watch an AFN-Elections Canada public service announcement on the changes) as well as here on the Elections Canada website.

Most of all, remember on October 14th: You're First Nations, and your vote counts!

"Stronger First Nations Make for a Stronger Canada"

2008-10-01T15:09:00.001-04:00

How true. Read the Toronto Star opinion piece right here.

What do you think?

CBC's "Your Interview" Session with the National Chief

2008-09-29T13:44:00.003-04:00

AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine answered questions sent in by the public as part CBC's "Canada Votes" online campaign coverage.

You can read the questions and the National Chief's answers on the CBC website here.

And don't forget to checkout the AFN's 2008 Election webpage chock full of information and other goodies!

Vote '08, Change Can't Wait!

2008-09-24T11:34:00.002-04:00

The AFN's 2008 Federal Election webpage is up and running right here.

You can get all the news on the AFN's election activities, the AFN "platform", AFN letters and questionnaires sent to party leaders and much more.

Be sure to check back often as there will be lots more to come as the days and weeks unfold towards election day, October 14th. We'll post the responses by party leaders to the questionnaire once they're received, and we'll also post an analysis of the various party platforms for your information.

Here's a news story about the AFN's Vote '08, Change Can't Wait campaign.

Let us know what you think, and if you have any questions or if there's any federal election information you'd like to see posted let us know!

First Nations and the 2008 Federal Election: "We can actually influence the outcome...but only if we participate”

2008-09-19T10:50:00.003-04:00

The federal election is well-underway and voters will be going to the polls on October 14.

Are you going to vote? Why, or why not? What are the key issues for you in this election?

The Assembly of First Nations will be launching a special Federal Election 2008 webpage on the AFN website. We'll post the link once it's ready to roll. It'll be chock-full of elections information including voting info, analysis of party platforms, a full list of Aboriginal candidates and lots of other goodies.

In the meantime, here's an article from today's Globe and Mail you may may want to checkout: Native issues casualties of Afghan spending, chief says

More News from the AGA - Working Towards Real Reconciliation

2008-07-17T14:09:00.003-04:00

A busy day yesterday for the National Chief at the Assembly of First Nations Annual General Assembly in Quebec City.

The National Chief met with leaders of the Roman Catholic Church to help ensure the Roman Catholic Church participates fully in the upcoming Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission. As well, the National Chief is hopeful that there may eventually be an apology from Pope Benedict XVI himself. Pope Benedict XVI recently acknowledged Australia's apology to the Aborigines for past injustices.

The National Chief also attended the meeting with the Council of the Federation - the forum where all provincial premiers and territorial leaders meet. The National Chief, premiers and territorial leaders emerged with an important agreement to press the Prime Minister and Government of Canada to honour and implement the Kelowna Accord and to convene a full First Ministers Meeting on First Nations issues. The premiers and territorial leaders can be important allies in the call for a progressive agenda to move First Nations from poverty and prosperity.

Let us know what you think about these developments.

The AGA wraps up today, so stay tuned for further updates on the outcomes and next steps.

AFN Annual General Assembly in the News

2008-07-16T11:43:00.002-04:00

The AFN's Annual General Assembly in Quebec City is generating a lot of media interest, in particular the National Chief's meeting today with the Council of the Federation (comprised of all provincial premiers and territorial leaders) and the push for Canada to endorse the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Stay tuned for more updates!

Remember that the Annual General Assembly can be viewed via webcast.

AFN Annual General Assembly Live on the Web!

2008-07-15T15:07:00.003-04:00

The Assembly of First Nations Annual General Assembly is underway in Quebec City and can be viewed live on the web right here.

You can get the agenda here to see what's going on and when.

A Community Taking Control

2008-07-10T17:01:00.004-04:00

Three months after the near-fatal shooting of a two yeard old girl, the author of "Young Thugs: Inside the Dangerous World of Canadian Street Gangs" checks in on Hobbema, Alberta and files an interesting story in the National Post.

Survival and Reconciliation

2008-06-12T17:39:00.002-04:00

The apology.

And the response.

What did you think of the apology? What do you think of the response?

A Real and Meaningful Apology?

2008-06-11T13:59:00.004-04:00

We are now moments away from the historic apology by the Prime Minister of Canada for the tragic legacy of the Indian Residential Schools, which will take place at 3 p.m. eastern time. Everyone will be able to view the apology live on most major networks (and the internet), including CBC.

This could be a defining moment of our time. Many groups and organizations are urging all Canadians to set aside what they are doing at that time and watch the apology. The eyes of Canadians and the world will be watching. As well, people around the country will be taking part in events to commemorate the occasion.

Will it be a real and meangingful apology? Most are optimistic based on what we've heard so far. National Chief Phil Fontaine has already setout what First Nations' are expecting by way of a sincere and respectful apology.

Is an apology important? Yes, absolutely. Is it the end of the process? Absolutely not. This is just one part - albeit an impotant one - of the comprehensive approach to reconciling the legacy of the residential schools. The Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission will begin its five-year inquiry process soon, and there will be other events aimed at community commemoration and remembrance.

But, if the apology is done properly and respectfully, this could be a pivotal event in our shared history in this land.

Watch, and let us know what you think. We'll have our response available following the apology.

National Day of Action 'Round the Nation

2008-05-29T11:00:00.003-04:00

Here is a list of National Day of Action activities by region. This was current as of last night.

Check out the National Day of Action Facebook page (if you're a member) for updates as well.

Hope to see you in the crowd!

3.2 Million More Supporters for the National Day of Action

2008-05-29T10:10:00.004-04:00

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine spoke at the Canadian Labour Congress' 25th Triennial Convention in Toronto on Tuesday, May 27th. The National Chief spoke about the current situation of First Nations in Canada, the reason and context for the National Day of Action and the 7-Point Plan for progress that the AFN is issuing as a challenge to the Government of Canada.

You can view video of the National Chief's speech here.

Following the speech, the Canadian Labour Congress, on behalf of its 3.2 million members, unanimously voted to endorse the AFNs' National Day of Action. That's 3.2 million more supporters calling for a better quality of life for First Nations people and a better tomorrow for First Nations children!

National Day of Action: A Message that Should Be Heard

2008-05-20T15:40:00.004-04:00

Excellent editorial about the National Day of Action in today's Toronto Star. Good exposure for the event and the issues in the newspaper with Canada's largest daily circulation.

Read the editorial here.

(...and don't foget to join the National Day of Action Facebook group, for all you Facebook-ers)

Our Children, Our Future, Our Responsibility

2008-05-17T17:04:00.006-04:00

It’s a staggering statistic: there are more First Nations children in state care today than at the height of the residential schools system. Three times as many, to be exact, or approximately 27,000 children. It is an alarming and damning marker of a system that is failing First Nations children.

The First Nations Child and Family Services (CFS) program, created and administered by the federal Department of Indian Affairs, was supposed to help reverse this trend. But Canada's Auditor General Sheila Fraser recently reported that 8,300 First Nations children are in care specifically as a result of this program.

The Auditor General’s report on this situation is required reading for anyone interested in the real problems and real solutions facing First Nations and Canada. While it focuses on child welfare, it identifies the fundamental flaw at the core of the entire broken system.

The Auditor General found that the fundamental problem with the First Nations CFS program is a complete lack of accountability by the Department that administers it.

There is no connection between the stated goals of the program – at its most basic, to keep children safe - and the resources provided to achieve those goals. As a result, First Nations child care agencies receive 22% less funding than provincial agencies.

There is no connection between areas of greatest need and where the money is actually spent. Resources are allocated based on a funding formula that is two decades old and has not been reviewed for more than ten years.

And there is no connection between reporting requirements and results. The reports the government asks for do not include any useful information about which initiatives are actually working and which are failing.

The Auditor General says: “In practice, the needs of children in care who are served by First Nations agencies vary widely. The outdated funding formula means that some children and families are not getting the services they need.”

The alarming number of First Nations children placed in care is a testament to this tragic failure. The main reason our children are apprehended is “neglect”, but this is not an indictment of First Nations parents. It is the poverty in too many of our communities that places our children at risk: overcrowded homes, crumbling schools, dangerous drinking water and the myriad manifestations of unfairness and inequality.

National Chief Phil Fontaine told media: “This is a national crisis; we need a Canada-wide solution. ... the AFN is calling for these solutions to be developed with real First Nations involvement and a timetable that reflects the crisis nature of these issues.”

It is an intolerable situation. What is truly intolerable is that this problem has metastasized across all areas of the federal government’s policies and programs for First Nations. Resources are sprinkled about with little sense of where they are needed and with no attempt to assess if initiatives are actually working to improve peoples’ lives.

The government has known about these problems for a long time, and the AFN proposed solutions in the 2005 Wen:de report and the 2006 Leadership Action Plan on First Nations Child Welfare. When the government refused to work with the Assembly, the AFN was forced to file a formal complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in 2007. The Auditor General’s report offers a strong argument supporting the AFN complaint. Since filing this complaint, the Human Rights Commission has called twice for mediation. Both times the AFN has accepted the recommendation but INAC officials have refused. In light of the Auditor General’s report, the National Chief has sent a letter to Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl and Health Minister Tony Clement again asking for a meeting.

The problems with the generally dysfunctional system have been flagged by many Auditors General as well as landmark studies like the 1996 final report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

The reasons for action are well-documented, and it only makes sense to act now. The World Health Organization states that every dollar invested in prevention measures saves five to seven dollars in costs of future services. The Canadian Centre for the Study of Living Standards reports that investments in education for First Nations students would add an additional $62 billion to the economy over the next ten years.

And yet First Nations students – the fastest growing segment of the population – receive $2,000 less for education than other Canadians students. The government remains inert and deaf to our calls for action.

This is why the AFN is calling for a second National Day of Action on May 29th.

We are calling for immediate investments to stabilize the crisis conditions that kill people, kill hope and kill opportunity. This is simply a call for fiscal fairness. We are calling for forward-looking investments in our children and our future: a stimulus package to educate and train our youth and spark our economies through partnerships and resource revenue-sharing.

And, of course, we must look beyond spending and create a new and better system that provides First Nations with the ability to make the decisions that affect their lives, to be responsible for the consequences of those decisions and to ensure First Nations governments are accountable to their people first.

Ultimately, First Nations can strengthen their people, their communities and their economies and work towards real self-sufficiency and real self-determination.

This is what the National Day of Action is about: our children, our future and our responsibility to one another as citizens of this land.

If we truly believe in fairness and justice we should all work together to ensure First Nations children are safe, healthy and able to pursue every opportunity this country provides.

Addendum for Facebook-ers:
There's now a National Day of Action Facebook group. Join here. Of course, you've gotta be a member of Facebook to join. Sign-in and sign-up - join the fun!

Fixing the Education Gap

2008-04-24T11:56:00.004-04:00

Okay, I/we can argue with a few points here and there but overall this is a great column! Required reading, says I, your humble scribe.

The AFN’s been raising this issue for a while now.

As Ivision points out, in spite of myths to the contrary, First Nations students receive $2,000 less in educational support than other Canadian students:

“…Simple fairness dictates that those most in need of the investment in quality education should receive the same level of funding as other Canadians. Yet the government's own figures suggest this is not the case.
According to INAC's own numbers, it spent $6,916 per native student across Canada in 2006/07. This compares with a national average of $8,165 for non-natives in 2004/05, according to Statistics Canada.”

Education is the key to unlocking the full potential of our people, our communities and Canada. We are the workforce of tomorrow. The AFN is calling for a greater investment in education because, simply, it’s an investment in our future. It’s good for all Canadians.

This is a bigger problem than just education. It’s true that “more funding” is not the answer to all our concerns - what we really need is a new system that puts First Nations in control of the decisions that affect their lives – but the fact is that since 1996 the federal government has capped funding for core services to First Nations governments at a meager 2% increase per year. You don’t need a calculator to realize that this does not keep pace with inflation or our growing, booming population. The result is First Nations governments are forced to try and do more and more with less and less every year.

What’s equally concerning is that, aside from education shortfalls, we have communities that have to make intolerable choices about building more houses OR making repairs to a crumbling school OR ensuring the drinking water is clean OR economic development etc. etc. These are choices no community should have to make in a country as rich as Canada.

So it’s really disheartening to hear people say that no more resources should be provided to First Nations right now while we tinker with funding formulas and such, because people are literally dying for help in our communities. Right now.
True, resources are not the whole answer but let’s stop the crisis and stabilize the situation so we can spark and grow First Nations economies and self-sufficiency.

National Day of Action, Take Two: Calling on All Canadians!

2008-04-19T12:58:00.006-04:00

National Chief Phil Fontaine held a news conference here in Ottawa on Thursday (April 18) to announce the second National Day of Action to be held May 29th. The National Chief, joined by national religious, labour and student organizations, urged all Canadians to come out and show their support in calling on the federal government to work with First Nations on a positive and progressive agenda for change. Ultimately, we want to turn poverty into prosperity and we have the plan.

The National Chief is calling for peaceful demonstrations by all Canadians, though the media (of course!) has latched on to other aspects of the announcement. As have other First Nations, including some that support the 2010 Olympic Games.

It’s important to note that the National Chief never referred to “disrupting” the Games (and note further that in July the AFN signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Four Host Nations to work with the organizing committee on the games). Rather, the Olympic Games shine an international spotlight on the host nation and this spotlight can be used to show the international audience and the international media the reality faced by First Nations people in Canada. Peaceful protest is not lawlessness, it’s democracy.

Anyway, the focus right now is on May 29th of this year, not 2010. Though if we’re still calling for government action by 2010, well, no doubt the Natives will really be restless!

Special added bonus blurb!: Media at the press conference were also interested in the hoped-for-soon-to-be-much-anticipated announcement on the federal government’s apology to residential schools’ survivors. The National Chief made a few notable points that you may want to checkout here.

Long Weekend Roundup

2008-03-20T21:19:00.003-04:00

Some items of interest for inquiring minds.

The situation at Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First Nation in Ontario (formerly known as Big Trout Lake) is causing quite a stir.

You may have read about it: six members of the First Nation, including the Chief and Deputy Chief, were sentenced to six months in jail for trying to prevent mining exploration company Platinex from drilling in their traditional territory.

Reaction from First Nations and supporters has been particularly strong, including a general backlash against mining in the region. Even the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada calls the situation “sad and disappointing,” and is urging an “amicable, mutually beneficial negotiated resolution.”

The Assembly of First Nations agrees.

There’s a very good Globe and Mail op-ed assessing the situation, but unfortunately it’s behind a subscriber wall. Suffice to say that the question in the title of the article – “Are the KI Six outlaws or prisoners of conscience?” - is not answered explicitly, but the implicit answer is: prisoners of conscience. The only drawback to this analysis is that it neglects to mention that the federal government has the primary responsibility to ensure there is proper, adequate consultation and has a central role as a broker in these processes.

Another interesting news story deals with Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant decrying the lack of investment by the federal government in First Nations. The federal government responds by saying it’s not just about more money, it’s about better spending.

You know what? They’re both right. Clearly more investment is needed because too many First Nation communities simply aren’t safe – there’s dangerous drinking water, unsafe and over-crowded housing, collapsing schools, inadequate funding for health needs and on and on. We need to move quickly to deal with this situation and it will involve equality of funding for First Nations. But yes, we also need to bring some sense to broken system and bureaucracy plagued by duplication, overlap and over-reporting that is not focused on whether or not quality and appropriately funded programs, services and initiatives are actually reaching and benefiting our communities.

Because while the KI story rightfully continues to be a focus of media coverage, tragic stories like this – which touch at the same core issues of Treaty rights, obligations and responsibilities - wrongfully tend to disappear from the front pages all too quickly.
If all levels of government – and all Canadians – understand this reality, we can indeed work towards amicable, mutually beneficial solutions.

As Long as the Sun Shines…

2008-03-11T11:11:00.005-04:00

AFN Blog Entry – March 7, 2008

This is going to be interesting.

In case you missed it, the AFN and Canada are convening a conference on Treaty Implementation which will be held this March 26-27 in Saskatoon.

The conference is the first time (ever) that First Nations and the Federal Crown have jointly hosted a conference to look at Treaty implementation.

We know that treaties and Treaty making are central to First Nations. Treaties get to the heart of our nation-to-nation relationship with Canada, confirming the fact that we are and always have been nations. But the federal government has tried to deny or ignore this reality for far too long. This conference will be an opportunity to kickstart the discussion on what the Treaties mean in the new millennium and how we can work to give life to the spirit and intent of the Treaties.

The overall objective of the conference is to bring together the Treaty Partners to discuss the parameters, issues, barriers and mutual benefits of a national Treaty implementation framework. This is a critically important opportunity for Treaty First Nations and the Crown to share their perspectives and understandings of Treaty and to jointly develop common principles to guide this relationship.

Keep checking here for more information as we get closer to the opening day. And we hope to see you there!

Numbers – Turns out you can’t always count on ‘em!

2008-02-05T14:12:00.000-05:00

The recent Statistics Canada release of the 2006 national census data on Aboriginal peoples garnered a great deal of media and public attention. In the following days, attention was turned to the controversy surrounding some of the numbers.

But first, let’s look at some of the positive findings. The census pegs the “Aboriginal” population (Aboriginal includes Métis, Inuit and First Nations people) at more than a million, further noting that the Aboriginal population is growing more than 3.5 times faster than the non-Aboriginal population.

It also reaffirms what many of us already know: our population is young, with more than half of our people under the age of 25.

The sheer numbers of Aboriginal people – more than a million strong – coupled with a young and booming demographic, represent a tremendous opportunity for Canada. As the rest of Canada’s population is ageing and reaching retirement, we have a ready and able pool of talent that can be educated and trained as the workforce of tomorrow. Now, more than ever before, it is in all our interests to reach out to First Nations people and seize the opportunity for education and investment.

Now, having said that, there are some real problems and real confusion with Statistics Canada’s numbers, particularly as they relate to First Nations (or “Indians” or “North American Indians,” to use the Stats Can term).

The problems start with confusion over the term “Aboriginal.” Aboriginal refers to the Inuit, Indians and Métis. This is an important distinction, especially when we’re talking about the on- and off-reserve population. If you talk “Aboriginal” people living off-reserve, you’re including the Métis and Inuit. This is wrong and should not be done because Métis and Inuit never had reserves and therefore never would have resided on-reserve. It’s kind of like saying “most Italian Canadians do not live on-reserves,” or “most Asian Canadians do not reside on reserve.” What we really want to look at is: how many status Indians – those entitled to live on-reserves – actually live on- and off-reserve?

The reality, according to both Indian Affairs and Statistics Canada, is that more than half of the status Indian population live on-reserve. And the on-reserve population is growing.

There are also problems with Statistics Canada’s own numbers, problems which they acknowledge. Their figure for the on-reserve population undercounts by at least 200,000, compared to the official federal Indian Registry. Twenty-two reserves don’t take part in the census, and these include some of Canada’s largest reserves. As well, at least one-quarter of residents weren’t counted on 166 reserves.

Add to this Statistics Canada’s self-created confusion over terms like “Aboriginal identity” and “Aboriginal ancestry.” Individuals who do not have Indian status but claim “Aboriginal Identity” are rolled in with the First Nations population, while those who claim “Aboriginal Ancestry” are excluded. There is no rationale for this decision. All it does is create a wonderful state of what Bob Dylan called, in an early recording, “Mixed-up Confusion.”

So, what are the real numbers? The best estimate, based on Indian and Northern Affairs registry, is that there were 763,555 status Indians in Canada in 2006, 58% were living on reserve, and those numbers climbed steeply in 2007.

This misleading picture created by Statistics Canada has real world implications. If, for example, the government is going to take a truly progressive step and, say, invest in First Nations education, it needs real numbers to identify where the investments should go. For that reason, the AFN is meeting with Statistics Canada and hopes to work with them to create a more accurate and informed picture of Canada’s first peoples.

Bill C-21 – Dealing with First Nations Rights by Committee

2007-12-10T09:25:00.000-05:00

Anyone watching the daily goings-on on Parliament Hill these days – and believe me, I live in Ottawa and these people exist! – are probably focused on the Ethics Committee’s ongoing probe into the Karlheinz Schreiber affair.

But the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs is slowly working its way through a piece of legislation that, while much more low-key than the Schreiber-palooza Festival, has real potential to impact First Nations people and First Nations rights in a major way.

The name of the legislation is Bill C-21, an Act to Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act Bill C-21would, basically, repeal section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA), which exempts First Nations communities from the CHRA.

Everyone supports the repeal of section 67 and supports the Canadian Human Rights Act. But a lot of people and organizations don’t support Bill C-21 (at least not as it’s currently written). That’s because the Bill would cause major problems for First Nations citizens and First Nation governments and would do more harm than good to First Nations collective rights and individual rights.

There are three major problems (and a bunch of little ones) with Bill C-21 as it is currently written:

It does not provide any way to balance collective rights and individual rights (there is a long history of balancing rights in Canada, because it’s the only way to ensure we don’t lose our collective Aboriginal and Treaty rights)
It does not include a statement that the Bill will not cause any harm to Aboriginal and Treaty rights (the fancy legal term for this is a “non-derogation clause” and it’s included in many Bills that deal with First Nations peoples and rights)
It does not provide for any means for First Nations to enforce the CHRA; that is, it says “yes, the CHRA now applies” but does not provide First Nations – or anybody – with the ability to enforce it.

Now, before anyone thinks the AFN is alone on this, we’re in good company. Here are a few other groups that appeared before the Committee and spoke against Bill C-21 (then called Bill C-44), citing the same concerns as the AFN:

The Canadian Human Rights Commission and their Chief Commissioner, Jennifer Lynch Q.C.
The Canadian Bar Association
The Native Women’s Association of Canada…and basically, 20 out of 21 witnesses that appeared before the Committee calling for changes to Bill C-21.

One of the biggest practical problems is the whole “lack of capacity” issue. Sure, you can say the CHRA applies…and then what? If First Nation governments have no organization, individual or resources to deal with complaints under the CHRA, then what good does it do? For example, there may be a requirement to make all First Nation buildings handicapped accessible (a great idea, by the way). But infrastructure on most reserves is crumbling because of federal under-funding and a lot of First Nations are struggling to keep their schools safe and provide enough houses to reduce over-crowding. How can they be expected to make these kinds of major changes when they’re already falling behind?

As well, First Nations communities will require resources and trained people to deal with the new system. As the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission told the Committee: “The need for local level systems to resolve conflict and provide redress of complaints is critical to the success of repeal. … I would like to articulate clearly the imperative need of ensuring that both First Nations and the Commission have the resources needed to ensure that implementation is successful. … implementation will not be successful without adequate resources to build needed capacity.”

If we simply repeal section 67 but don’t give First Nations governments or citizens any way to exercise and enjoy those rights…then have we really done anything worthwhile for our people, or have we perhaps done even more damage?

So, how do we fix Bill C-21?

Include a non-derogation clause (which will not make any substantive difference to the gist of the Bill)
Provide more time for the Bill to be implemented once its passed so First Nations, the CHRA and others are ready to deal with the changes
And do an assessment of the impacts the Bill will have so everyone knows the resources and capacities required to enforce it (the government did its own impact assessment, but it only looked at what government needed to do and not the people directly affected: First Nations)

Hey, sorry for the longer-than-usual post, but figured this was information you’d want to know about.

In summary, anyone who says Bill C-21 as it is, without amendments, is a good for First Nations either hasn’t read it, doesn’t understand it, or doesn’t care about First Nations rights!

New Approach to Resolving Specific Claims Unveiled

2007-12-10T09:21:00.000-05:00

November 30, 2007

Yesterday saw the unveiling of the new approach to resolving specific land claims, jointly developed by the AFN and Canada.

This new approach has been in the works since last June. It’s one of the first times (first time ever?) that the AFN and First Nations have been at the table with government to draft legislation. As well, a companion Political Agreement was secured by the AFN so that work on important issues that fall outside the legislation will continue.

You can get important information about the new legislation (Bill C-30) and the Political Agreement here. AFN has even produced a handy-dandy guide which walks you through the new approach, and you can get it here.

A few highlights and notable items:
The new system will deal with claims that are valued up to $150 million (which covers about 95% of all claims). Canada and First Nations will continue to work on a new approach for claims that are above $150 million.
The new system creates an independent Tribunal which can make binding decisions on claims. This means the government can no longer control the whole process and can no longer act as judge and jury in deciding claims against itself.
The new system forces the government to respond within three years to the First Nations’ claim, which means the government can no longer delay claims by simply not responding to them. If there’s no response or the claim is not settled in three years, First Nations can take the claim to the independent Tribunal.
The new system now opens up the claims process to types of claims that were shut out of the old process, most significantly pre-Confederation claims.
For the first time, Canada will commit to a specific amount of resources to resolve claims: $250 million each year for the next ten years for the new approach alone. Additional monies can be spent on other claims outside the process.
AFN secured a five year review so First Nations and government have an opportunity assess the process and make any changes – if required – after five years.

There’s a lot more to the new approach so check out the Guide and the info on the website.

And remember: the new legislation is not yet law. It still has to be passed by Parliament and receive “Royal Assent” before it is Canadian law. This could take a few months. AFN has secured resources for regional dialogue sessions by First Nations on the new approach to give everyone time to get informed.

UPDATE: This article raises a few questions about the new approach.
It is true that the independent Tribunal only awards financial compensation, but the new approach is based on negotiation and mediation as the preferred approach to resolve claims. These negotiations can include land as part of the settlement. The prospect of a financial award through the Tribunal is incentive for Canada to reach a negotiated settlement which can include solutions apart from financial compensation. As well, the Political Agreement recognizes the importance of recovering or replacing lost land and commits to reviewing the Additions to Reserve policy.

Welcome to the AFN blog!

2007-11-30T11:35:00.001-05:00

This is a new blog started by the Assembly of First Nations to provide you with the latest news, opinions and insider info about the goings on at the AFN as well as in the wider world of First Nations and Aboriginal issues. Blogs are a (relatively) new and (mostly) fun way to communicate with each other and, as we all know, First Nations people have always been “early adapters” to new technology!

Check back often as we’ll be updating the blog on a regular basis. Of course, if you want the “official” word on various AFN initiatives and events you can still check the AFN website at www.afn.ca (and it’s bilingual to boot!).

Thanks for logging onto the blog! Let us know what you think!