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Patrick Brazeau
Larry W. Campbell
Jacques Demers
Lillian Eva Dyck
Elizabeth Hubley
Sandra Lovelace-Nicholas
Dennis Glen Patterson
Rose-May Poirier
Nancy Greene Raine
Nick G. Sibbeston
Gerry St. Germain, P.C.
Carolyn Stewart Olsen


 
 
 
Ceri Au
Communications Officer
613-944-9145
Toll-free:
1-800-267-7362
auc@sen.parl.gc.ca

Marcy Zlotnick
Committee Clerk
613-990-6080
Toll-free:
1-800-267-7362
aborig-autoch
@sen.parl.gc.ca


 
 
Recommendations

Recommendation 1

That the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development firmly commit to assisting all First Nations who currently hold elections pursuant to the Indian Act in moving to community-based codes;

That the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, in consultation with the Assembly of First Nations and other affected First Nations organizations, establish clear targets and timelines for the reversion to community-based codes for all First Nations who currently hold elections pursuant to the Indian Act;

That the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development dedicate sufficient funds to assist First Nations in developing and ratifying community-based codes for those First Nations which currently hold elections pursuant to the Indian Act; and that such funding be adequate to meet the agreed upon targets and timelines for the reversion to community-designed codes;

That the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development ensure that sufficient funding also be made available for First Nations currently under the customary method of leadership selection to update their codes in accordance with standards of procedural fairness, consistency with Canadian law and with effective governance practices;

That Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development undertake a review of the Band Support Funding Program to ensure that First Nations elections, whether conducted by custom or pursuant to the Indian Act, are appropriately resourced; and that adequate funding for elections continue to be made available to First Nations once they revert to a community-designed leadership selection process; and

That the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development provide an annual progress report to the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples at the end of each fiscal year on the number of First Nations that have reverted to community-based codes in that year and the amount of money the Department has transferred to First Nations to assist them in moving to community-based codes.

Recommendation 2 That First Nations Leadership establish appropriate consultation mechanisms to ensure the meaningful participation of all community members in the development, implementation, and future amendment(s) of community-based codes.

Recommendation 3 That the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, in collaboration and consultation with the appropriate First Nations and/or Treaty Organizations, take immediate steps to establish a First Nations Electoral and Appeals Commission, operating on a national and/or regional basis, empowered to hear appeals arising from First Nations elections and to promote and strengthen First Nations electoral capacity.

Recommendation 4 That the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, in collaboration with interested regional First Nations organizations, establish pilot projects to develop and implement First Nations-led electoral initiatives and to guide policy and/or legislative development in this area.


 



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