2 National Centre for First Nations Governance
Governance
and Cultural
Match
Youtube Video 2
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Refers to the way people work in organizations and the delivery of services
“Traditional” governance was viewed in terms of creating peace and living the best way possible
Governance was flexible and adaptable to community needs
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What is Governance?
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“It’s the process of ‘getting the best of both worlds’ – whereby the developments create a synergy between First Nations cultural traditions and European Canadian systems.”
-Richard Missens
Sovereignty, Good Governance, and First Nation Human Resources: Capacity Challenges
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What is Cultural Match?
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NCFNG Governance
Principles:
▶ The Land
▶ The People
▶ Resources
▶ Laws and Jurisdiction
▶ Institutions
Culture
Traditions
Language
History
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The Land
• Territorial Integrity
• Economic Realization
• Respect for the Spirit of the Land
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The People
• Strategic Vision
• Meaningful Information Sharing
• Participation in Decision Making
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Resources
• Performance Evaluation
• Financial Management Capacity
• Diversity of Revenue Sources
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Laws and Jurisdiction
• Expansion of Jurisdiction
• Rule of Law
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Institutions
• Transparency and Fairness
• Results-Based Organization
• Cultural Alignment of Institutions
• Effective Inter-Governmental Relations
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• To be effective, governing institutions must have legitimacy with the people
• This means they have to match Indigenous ideas about how authority should be organized and exercised
• Institutions that match contemporary Indigenous cultures are more successful than those that don’t
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Cultural Match & Governance
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Cultural Match – Example
Teslin Tlingit Council
• Embeds traditional practices within contemporary government
• Modern expression of the clan system integrated into decision making institutions
• Codified by their constitution
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Cultural Match – Example
SIGA Guiding Principles
• SIGA incorporating Cree values into their business plan
• Five Guiding Principles take from the book Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan; Tâpwêwin, Pimâcihowin, Miyo-wîcêhtowin, Miskâsowin, Wîtaskêwin
• The concepts challenged SIGA to seek balance between traditional and contemporary structures of governance
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Cultural Match – Example
Muskeg Lake Cree Nation
• MLCN Constitutional Development Project invited specific Treaty 6 territory Elders to share nêhiyaw wiyasowêwina (Cree laws)
• Facilitators, researchers, helpers brought in who could speak Cree to work with knowledge keepers and Elders.
• Step towards revitalizing and reclaiming traditional knowledge
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Cultural (Mis)Match – Examples
Indian Act: • Bands as administrative units • Limited decision-making power • Organization dictated by Ottawa • Accountability – Minister of Indian Affairs
Other Examples: • No independent judicial function • Politicized business management
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Cultural (Mis)Match – Effects
• Institutions imposed from outside typically lack that support
• People say, “It is not our government. It is someone else’s.”
• The result is abuse and distrust
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Challenges of Cultural Match
• Cultures are in constant flux • Internalized oppression has operated
extensively in First Nation communities - Colonization
• Create “cultural match” in the end product as well as the process
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Connecting the Dots
• Governance structure reflects culture and
tradition = cultural match and legitimacy
• Greater legitimacy = community support
• Community support ensures effective
governance
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What matters is not that things be done in the old ways. It is that things be done in ways – old or new – that win the support, participation, and trust of the people, and that can get things done.
Some will be old. Some will be new.
But they will be accomplished in your way.
Final Thoughts
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The Land
People
Resources
Laws
&
Jurisdiction
Institutions
Contact us
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National Centre for First Nations Governance
Jocelyne Wasacase-Merasty, Prairie Regional Manager
306.651.6180
306.220.9601 [email protected]
www.fngovernance.org