ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA CHIEFS GRAND CHIEF DEREK NEPINAK PRESENTS TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ABORIGINAL ISSUES RESPECTING BILL

C-9; FIRST NATIONS ELECTION ACT Ottawa, ON Nov !" # $9, %&$' Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Derek Nepinak today presented observations and made key recommendations respecting Bill C- ! an act to reform election reg"lations in the Indian Act (#A)$ #n light of recent misinformation in the media respecting the official AMC position on the draft bill! the Grand Chief had an opport"nity to present his concerns %ith the bill %hich has no% been re-introd"ced %ith the ne% session of parliament$ AMC also presented on the bill in &ebr"ary '()' and raised the same concerns at that time$ #n '(( ! the AMC Chiefs in Assembly began a process to in*"ire into election reform and begin the development of a c"stom election code %ith provisions for fo"r-year terms! a common election day! and mechanisms for the development of local election appeal co"ncils or trib"nals$ +he development of the recommendations %as done over a period of time from '(( to '()( thro"gh a series of comm"nity engagement sessions that %ere organi,ed by the AMC %ith federal government f"nding$ Altho"gh the bill brings for%ard some of the comm"nity recommendations! it also grants the Minister a s%eeping po%er to set aside elections and also provides the Minister %ith a po%er to bring comm"nities into the ne% Act %itho"t their consent in conditions of a -protracted leadership disp"tes.$ /Manitoba &irst Nations comm"nities %ant to see improvements in o"r governance selections processes! b"t not at all costs$ 0ne significant cost that every comm"nity sho"ld consider is the implications of allo%ing the Minister to hold a veto po%er over local election processes at his or her discretion$ 1"ch a condition does not empo%er self-government! it stymies it2 stated Grand Chief Nepinak$ /3hen recommendations %ere made to the federal government! it %as not contemplated that this %o"ld lead to a s%eeping national la% that %ill affect "ni*"e c"lt"res and distinct processes of local governance across the Canadian nation state$ # do not believe that Manitoba &irst Nations comm"nities %o"ld consider that the comm"nity engagement sessions legitimi,e a broad approach to election reform across the co"ntry2 he f"rther stated$ After passing the parliamentary 1tanding Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development! the bill %ill go to the 4o"se of Commons for f"rther debate before passing into la%$ #t is the hope that before it passes into la%! the AMC recommendations! as %ell as recommendations to remove the Minister.s veto po%er over comm"nities is removed$ #n the previo"s session of parliament! despite having significant concerns %ith the bill raised at the 1enate Committee! the bill remained intact %itho"t any of the amendments proposed by &irst Nations leadership! incorporated into the bill$ &or more information please contact5 1heila North 3ilson Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs '(6-7(8-)98 snorth%ilson:manitobachiefs$com