Aboriginal Self Government
In Canada, the fight for self-government by the indigenous population of Canada has been ongoing for a very long time. Before the early seventies, the federal government of Canada declined to implement any form of policy or program that was relatable to the self-government concept (Little Bear, Boldt, and Long, 1984). However, later the Supreme Court of Canada implemented the first self-government policy, but it was limited to the legislative framework. In that, all its functions were controlled by the parliament, without the Aboriginal population participating. What is more, the parliament had the independent power to amend the policy at any given moment. However, this did not sit right with the Aboriginals since they believed that the inherent right of the government was provided by their creators but not human beings. This was the first reason for the self-government fight. Secondly, they wanted a government where leaders are chosen in line with their expectations and cultural practices. What is more, self-government would foster sufficient coordination with the national government to ensure equal distribution of vital resources and social needs. All in all, the autonomy for the indigenous population, including Inuit, Métis, and even urban-based citizens, promises to eliminate various social challenges by delivering a self-sustainable and reliable leadership system to their constituents and improving their socio-economic position.
In any case, people misunderstand the purpose of self-government. In that, they assume it involves the right to sovereignty an independent Aboriginal nation-states. However, implementation of the self-government policy enhances the coordination between the federal government and the indigenous population (Little Bear, Boldt, and Long, 1984). What is more, it ensures that the Aboriginals do not live in isolation or separation from other Canadian citizens. Perhaps what is important to note is the fact that the basis of Aboriginal self-government is to establish indigenous orders of government. Still, they operate under the Canadian government system. Before, the Europeans invaded Canada; the Aboriginals practiced their forms of leadership guided by a wide range of cultural practices. However, it was destroyed by the implementation of the Indian Act, which aimed at eliminating the traditions of the First Nations to ensure they follow modern leadership and social practices like the other citizens. Consequently, self-government works around reconstructing and restoring the powers and freedom the Aboriginals previously had. It is about “the reconciliation of the pre-existence of aboriginal societies with the sovereignty of the Crown. As a result, the idea required that policy-makers, Aboriginals, and non-aboriginals unite in restructuring the government system to make it more efficient for the Aboriginals to practice their rights, including an inherent form of self-government (Little Bear, Boldt, and Long, 1984).
The self-government system amongst the indigenous population is fundamental. In that, it leads to a supportive leadership system, which will foster the well-being and self-reliance of the Aboriginals. In the long run, they will have the power to make internal decisions that impact their community solely. Also, transform relationships with the federal government to solve the wide range of social, healthcare, and political challenges. Besides, just as other Canadian citizens, Aboriginals should freely practice autonomy and make independent decisions. As a result, the prevalent system of the federal policy that fostered the discriminatory pattern for the last fifty years must be eliminated (Little Bear, Boldt, and Long, 1984). For the most part, non-indigenous populations have been making sole decisions to control the lives of Aboriginals entirely. However, aboriginals are people, and this means that they have their unique characters, just as non-aboriginals. Therefore, they deserve the right to government autonomy. The indigenous populations have Canada have worked so hard to keep their cultural practices despite the challenges from non-Aboriginals. Repeatedly, they have implemented programs and institutions to safeguard their cultural practices despite the officials working consistently to control their lives. All in all, just as other citizens in Canada are allowed to follow their cultural needs, so should the Aboriginals.
Self-government improves the condition of all Aboriginal peoples by covering the structures of lawmaking power and agreements that readily provide services to the whole population. One question that most researchers ask is: why does the indigenous population insist on the implementation of self-government? Long before the Europeans came into Canada (Currently), the aboriginals had systems of leadership that were based on their political and administrative systems. Therefore, they have been fighting to be self-reliant. The first policy that was implemented concerning self-government was the British North American Act back in the late sixties (Belanger, 2008). Today, it is known as the constitutional act, and it serves the purpose of making laws on Indians and their lands. Self-government in Canada is very important for the nation’s development. And this is important because the Aboriginals need to participate in making decisions and policies that impact their lives. What is more, it ensures that the Aboriginals do not live in isolation or separation from other Canadian citizens. Perhaps what is important to note is the fact that the basis of Aboriginal self-government is to establish indigenous orders of government. Still, they operate under the Canadian government system (Abele, 1994).
Concerning social and economic well-being, self-government will ensure the Aboriginals can access educational services sufficiently. Today, the numbers of Aboriginal children who go to school are way less as compared to their minority counterparts. And this is partly because they live in poor conditions. What is more, they lack essential resources, sufficient food, and clean water. Also, they cannot access adequate healthcare services. In summary, all these challenges limit the capability of going to school; in the long run, most youths drop out. Self-government will ensure the Aboriginals can access educational services just like their majority counterparts (Belanger, 2008). That aside, inadequate healthcare and limited medical facilities is another common challenge facing Aboriginals. In that, most of them cannot access medical services. What is more, their living conditions are weak, and this increases the potentiality of illness. Self-government will ensure healthcare is diversified and available to all citizens from the indigenous population, just like the majority of Canadians. Autonomy in Canada is significant for the nation’s development. And this is true because the Aboriginals need to participate in making decisions and policies that impact their lives. The self-government for indigenous populations, including Inuit, Métis, and even urban-based citizens, promises to eliminate various social challenges by delivering self-sustainable and principled leadership.
The self-government for indigenous populations, including Inuit, Métis, and even urban-based citizens, promises to eliminate various social challenges (Abele, 1994). It will lead to the transformation of policy services; in such a way, those essential social services are readily available for the indigenous nation. Also, it ensures that a wide range of regulations is implemented to safeguard Aboriginals; and this applies to the citizens from both urban centers and local regions. Most of the First Nations citizens live in deplorable conditions, and this is because they cannot access some of the most critical services. As a result, an internally controlled government will ensure housing and property rights are fostered within these communities to improve their living conditions and health. Kids are essential for every society, and this is because they are the determinants of future generations. Ever since the European forced the indigenous population out of their lands, their children have been facing various limitations, such as lack of education. Canada has some of the best child welfare programs all over the globe. On the contrary, it is only valid for non-Aboriginals. Therefore, an able government will foster children’s well-being policies to ensure they grow to become productive.
Aboriginals in Canada have been fighting for their rights for a very long time. And this means that these issues revolving around equality and well-being are deeply rooted in Canadian society (Boldt, 1993). As a result, self-government will not solve these problems immediately. Still, it will occur gradually as vital towards enabling communities to heal the intergenerational impacts of Aboriginal social and economic isolation. That aside, the self-dependent form of government will lead to personal and societal healing. And this is because a large percentage of the indigenous populations have suffered the adverse impacts of the residential education system. After the implementation of the Indian Act, residential schools were constructed, and as a result, Aboriginal children were forcefully taken to these schools. In some cases, kids were kidnapped just to ensure that they were isolated within residential schools. Within these schools, life was not easy; in that, they could not access essential services like sanitation adequately. As a result, most of them suffered extensively. The residential school system was constructed by the Canadian government to instill modern education to the indigenous population, in a bid to eliminate their cultural practices beliefs.
Most Aboriginals who attended residential schools suffered trauma after leaving those institutions. Those experiences were so extreme to an extent where some indigenous communities have rejected opportunities to work in various business organizations, and they instead prefer the construction of healing centers to help them heal from the residential school trauma. As a result, there is a prevalent debate, which insists on the implementation of healing programs before self-government policies are implemented. And this is because it will minimize psychological suffering and foster unity and togetherness for national development. Now the implementation of the self-government is not cheap. In other words, to ensure the self-reliant indigenous government is efficient and thriving all over Canada, there will be a significant amount of investments needed. The political, social, and economic conditions facing Aboriginal people impose a cost of [1996] &7.5 billion per year on them and all Canadians; this cost is likely to rise in the future, reaching $11 billion per year [by 2016] (LeClaire, 1993). Also, this estimate included the losses that had been incurred due to the inability to develop Aboriginal regions to their full potential. The overall cost is quite expensive; however, the outcome that will come by allowing Aboriginals to participate in economic development will be better.
Ever since the Aboriginals started fighting self-reliance, various self-government acts have been implemented (Belanger, 2008). First of all, the Sechelt Indian Band Self-Government Act; back in the late eighties, the Canadian government implemented this policy, which provided limited powers to the Aboriginal leadership system. To be more precise, the act enables the Sechelt Indian Band with the ability to make their constitution. Secondly, they were allowed to construct schools and dictate the regulatory frameworks of those institutions. Third, the minority group could implement their guidelines within their healthcare systems. Lastly, the Sechelt Indian Band was allowed to impose and control tax and usage of land within their locality. What was important to note from the act was the fact that the members of the Sechelt Indian Band were allowed to control land usage following their needs. Despite that, the ability to own or access land was solely controlled by the parliament of the national government. And this meant it was subject to the legislative amendment. As a result, the Sechelt Indian Band had as much authority as the parliamentary delegates. In that, it was limited to a legal framework, controlled by the parliament. In the long run, many citizens were not happy since they deemed the Sechelt Indian Band Self-Government Act as a weak system of self-reliance.
Even though the Aboriginal population had been growing faster than other Canadian communities, there had been a shortage in the housing system, and the living conditions within these regions are worse given the extensive lack of basic needs like water and inadequate investments from the Canadian government. That aside, the Nunavut Act and Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act is another self-government initiative that was implemented in 1990. In the agreement, the government of the Northwest Territories and the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut signed an agreement-in-principle that confirmed their joint commitment to the division of the Northwest Territories and the creation of Nunavut. The policy led to the formation of new territories that were supported by land claim agreements from the national government (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, 2013). What is more, the act ensured that the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut populations would actively participate in a wide range of political decision-making processes. In the long run, it enabled the transformation of policy services in such a way that essential social services were readily available for the indigenous nation. Also, it ensured that a wide range of regulations was implemented to safeguard Aboriginals; and this applies to the citizens from both urban centers and local regions.
Another act that was developed in line with the demands of the Aboriginals was the West Bank First Nation Self-Government Act. It became functional in 2005, and it allowed the West-Bank First Nation the right to run, govern and control internal affairs. As a result, the population had the legal right to implement programs that managed the social well-being of their community with minimal influence from the federal government. The Westbank First Nation Government (WFNG) provides services for approximately 9000 residents living on Westbank First Nation lands, 8500 of whom are non-band members with residential leases on Westbank lands (Little Bear, Boldt, and Long, 1984). WFNG is one of the most successful self-government policies. In that, it enhances the coordination between the federal government and the indigenous population. What is more, it ensures that the Aboriginals do not live in isolation or separation from other Canadian citizens. Perhaps what is important to note is the fact that the basis of The Westbank First Nation Government is to establish indigenous orders of government. Still, they operate under the Canadian government system. This type of self-government improves the condition of all Aboriginal peoples by covering the structures of lawmaking power and agreements that readily provide services to the whole population. In the long run, they will have the ability to make internal decisions that impact their community solely.
Before the early seventies, the federal government of Canada declined to implement any form of policy or program that was relatable to the self-government concept. However, later the Supreme Court of Canada applied the first self-government policy, but it was limited to the legislative framework. For instance, the Sechelt Indian Band Self-Government Act. Back in the late eighties, the Canadian government implemented this policy, which provided limited powers to the Aboriginal leadership system. In the long run, many citizens were not happy since they deemed the Sechelt Indian Band Self-Government Act as a weak system of self-reliance. Another act that was developed in line with the demands of the Aboriginals was the West Bank First Nation Self-Government Act. It became functional in 2005, and it is one of the most successful self-government policies. In that, it enhances the coordination between the federal government and the indigenous population. What is more, it ensures that the Aboriginals do not live in isolation or separation from other Canadian citizens. Self-government in Canada is very important for the nation’s development. And this is important because the Aboriginals need to participate in making decisions and policies that impact their lives. All in all, the self-government for the indigenous population including Inuit, Métis and even urban-based citizens, promises to eliminate various social challenges by delivering self-sustainable and reliable leadership systems to their constituents and improving their socio-economic position
References
Abele, F. (1994). “The Importance of Consent: Indigenous Peoples Politics in Canada.” In Canadian Politics (3rd ed.), edited by J. Bickerton and A.-G. Gagnon, pp. 443–461. Peterborough, ON Broadview Press.
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. 2013, March 11. “Joint Declaration on Northwest Territories Devolution.” Ottawa: Author. Retrieved November 18, 2013, from http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1363269358714/1363269524805
Belanger, Y. (2008). Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada: Current Trends and Issues, 3rd edition. Saskatoon: Purich Publishing.
Boldt, M. (1993). Surviving as Indians: The Challenge of Self-Government. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
LeClaire, K. (1993). “The Kahnawake Mohawk Experience.” In The Path to Healing: Report of the National Round Table on Aboriginal Health and Social Issues. The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services, Canada.
Little Bear, L., M. Boldt, and J. A. Long. (1984). “Federal Government Policies and Indian Goals of Self–Government.” In Pathways to Self– Determination: Canadian Indians and the Canadian State, edited by L. Little Bear, M. Boldt, and J. A. Long. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.