Anishinawbe Blog

Commit To Work Together On Implementation Of Great Lakes Agreement

TORONTO, March 27 /CNW/ – Anishinabek Nation leaders and Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources today signed three memoranda of understanding that will help strengthen cooperation and collaboration on issues related to natural resource management.
A Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement was signed by Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsay, and Grand Council Chief John Beaucage on behalf of 42 Anishinabek Nation communities.
“Our First Nations are dedicated to the principles of co-management,” said Grand Council Chief Beaucage. “We acknowledge Ontario’s jurisdiction in managing the Great Lakes on behalf of their citizens, while we will be asserting traditional management principles on behalf of our citizens.”
“I am pleased to join Grand Council Chief Beaucage in signing the memorandum on Great Lakes Basin waters, which will help build our relationship with the Anishinabek Nation,” said Ramsay. “By working together cooperatively, we can move forward, seeking mutually agreeable solutions on our common priority of protecting and conserving the waters of the Great Lakes Basin.”
The memorandum of understanding related to the Great Lakes commits Ontario and the Anishinabek Nation to:

• Hold an annual meeting between the Anishinabek Grand Council Chief and the Minister of Natural Resources

• Establish a joint Great Lakes Charter Annex Agreement Implementation Committee, and 

• Help build Anishinabek Nation advisory and technical capacity through the Union of Ontario Indians retaining a technical advisor, as well as other measures.Ontario is committing $300,000 over three years to this effort.

Ontario and the Anishinabek Nation also signed a memorandum of understanding committing to a “collaborative approach” that would revitalize the Anishinabek/Ontario Resource Management Council process that was established seven years ago. Continuing the work of the council will help foster a positive working relationship and ensure greater coordination on issues related to natural resource management.
In addition, an agreement was signed establishing a protocol on the transfer of Eagle remains to Anishinabek First Nations. The Eagle is of particular social, cultural and religious importance to Aboriginal people.
The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians (UOI) as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42 member First Nations across Ontario. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.

The MNR and UOI personnel responsible for the agreements.

Back Row: Rob Messervey (MNR Water Management), Dave Colvin (MNR Aboriginal Affairs Unit), Deputy Grand Chief Glen Hare, Jason Laronde (AORMC Coordinator), Allan Dokis (UOI Dir. of Intergovernmental Affairs), Charlie Lauer (MNR Field Services).  Front Row: Kevin Wilson (MNR Natural Resources Management), The Hon. David Ramsay, Grand Council Chief John Beaucage and Chief Isidore Day (Serpent River).

Grand Council Chief John Beaucage serves up ‘nibi’ to Mary Deleary, Josephine Mandamin and April Jones.

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON (CCNMatthews – March 27, 2007)  – On Saturday March 24th, 2007, Grand Council Chief John Beaucage addressed the Anishinabek Nation Building Conference in Sault Ste. Marie, pledging to do more to contribute to the well-being of the environment and particular to the Great Lakes water.
Grand Council Chief John Beaucage has appointed an Anishinabek Women’s Water Commission to advise the Union of Ontario Indians on water issues and Great Lakes management issues.
“Our work with regard to the water and Great Lakes co-management will not focus only on policy and science. Through our Women’s Water Commission, the beliefs that water is living and spoken for by our women will now be reflected in Ontario’s management regime,” said Grand Council Chief Beaucage.
“We need to ensure that First Nations, especially our women, maintain their role as stewards of the water and give a voice for our most precious resource,” added Beaucage.
The Anishinabek Women’s Water Commission will advise the Union of Ontario Indians on all aspects related to the management of the Great Lakes. It is expected that Grand Council Chief Beaucage and Minister David Ramsay will sign a co-management agreement on Tuesday, March 27 to ensure First Nation participation in all decision-making that will impact the Great Lakes basin.
More importantly, the newly created Commission will play a leadership role in raising the awareness of Great Lakes water and impacts to its quality and quantity. The Women’s Water Commission will also share their tremendous traditional knowledge and teachings about water as they undertake their work across the Anishinabek Nation.
Josephine Mandamin, an Elder from Wikwemikong Unceded Nation will serve as founding Chief Commissioner of the Anishinabek Women’s Water Commission.
“Water is a great uniter and I know that this historic step will begin to unite all nations because we all share an equal concern: the water’s future,” said Josephine Mandamin. “Hearing Mother Earth cry about how ill she is and how she is having a hard time feeding her children is a reminder to us all that our women feel the same way too. We must unite in this monumental task.”
Mandamin established the Mother Earth Water Walk, the lead walks around Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Ontario. Her group will walk around Lake Erie in 2007.
Mary Deleary of Muncey and April Jones of London will also serve as founding Commissioners. Both women are traditional teachers whose extensive aboriginal traditional knowledge focuses on the water and women’s role as caretakers on the water.
“My commitment as Anishinabe-Kwe (native woman) to ensuring the sustainability for life for our future generations guides much of my life,” said Mary Deleary. “Our ‘Sacred Water’ is the very essence of what will continue to sustain our life.”
“During my lifetime, I have seen the extreme changes that have occurred regarding the sustainability of one of our most precious resources, Mide-waboo,” said April Jones. “I continue to learn and to help in any way that I can regarding the protection of the water, because it is evident that the very future of our children and all of creation is dependent upon it.”
The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians (UOI) as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42-member First Nations across Ontario . The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.

UOI Youth Representative, Elder Martin Assinewe, Elder Ray Rogers, Elder Merle Assance-Beedie, Elder Gordon Waindubence, UOI Youth Representative Arnold Yellowman.  Front Row: Grand Council Chief John Beaucage, Mary Deleary, Josephine Mandamin, April Jones, Deputy Grand Chief Glen Hare.

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON (CCNMatthews – March 23, 2007) – Today, the Union of Ontario Indians debated and approved-in-principle the first modern Anishinabek Nation Law respecting Matrimonial Real Property. “In lieu of participating in the Government of Canada’s consultation process and legislative initiative regarding matrimonial real property, our Chiefs opted to develop our own process and our own Anishinabek Nation Law,” said Grand Council Chief John Beaucage. The Law was approved-in-principle today at a one-day Special Chiefs Assembly on Matrimonial Real Property (MRP) at the Holiday Inn in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Final ratification will take place at the Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Assembly scheduled for June 25-28, 2007 in Alderville First Nation. For the past forty days, the Union of Ontario Indians has traversed the Anishinabek Nation engaging, consulting and obtaining feedback and principles that were incorporated into the Anishinabek Nation Law. “The principles contained in the Anishinabek Nation law will have come from our engagement and consultation with our leadership and citizens. In the end, it will be up to each Anishinabek First Nation to subscribe to these principles that unite us, by enacting regulations at their respective Councils,” said Grand Council Chief Beaucage. According to the draft Anishinabek Nation Law, member First Nations will have one year to pass community regulations, based on the framework provided for in the Anishinabek Nation Law. First Nations will have various options they can customize depending on their specific land tenure circumstances such as certificate of possession, custom allotment, First Nations Land Management Act, etc. They will also have the authority to customize components of their regulations according to the needs and wishes of their particular First Nations. Last year, the Government of Canada announced their intention to introduce legislation to address the issue of matrimonial real property on-reserve, in particular a solution that will protect families, equity and fairness upon the dissolution of marriage. The Chiefs of the Anishinabek Nation opted for their own Anishinabek Nation Law rather than being subject to federal legislation and provincial jurisdiction on these matters. The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians (UOI) as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42-member First Nations across Ontario . The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.

By Kate Adams
Baytoday.ca

Canadore College President Barbara Taylor and Union of Ontario Indians Grand Council Chief John Beaucage renew their unique educational partnership Tuesday.
Canadore College and the Union of Ontario Indians/Anishinabek Educational Institute (AEI) renewed their unique educational partnership at the Anishinabek Nation Head Office on Tuesday.
The agreement originally signed in January 2003, is partnership designed to deliver programs in a culturally relevant manner while promoting opportunities and excellence for Anishinabek learners.
Canadore College President Barbara Taylor says the partnership with Union of Ontario Indians through AEI ensures that the strengths of both partners are built upon.
“I think it’s very clear that it allows Canadore College to meet its commitment to serving Aboriginal people in First Nations.” states Taylor.
“AEI brings the culturally relevant knowledge and perspective,” she explains.
“Then Canadore brings our program depth and allows people in First Nations, member nations of the Union of Ontario Indians to have access to post secondary education and training in a way that wouldn’t otherwise be available. So we see this as an incredibly valuable partnership and incredibly important partnership in meeting our mandate as a community college.”
Grand Council Chief John Beaucage says that through the partnership 36 students have successfully completed the Social Service Worker, and Personal Support Worker programs and that the AEI has programs running throughout their territories including the Thunder Bay and London areas.
“We have accredited teachers that are working with students in their own home communities or close to their home communities and then when they graduate we provide along with Canadore College the certification that they finished these programs and that they’re college certified. So they get a college diploma out of it,” says Beaucage.
“It’s very well liked by the communities, by the students and we’re offering a good alternative in terms of educational programs for them, so it’s a win – win situation for everybody. The college, ourselves at the Union/ Anishinabek Education Institute, and more importantly the students out there in those communities.”
The deal will see the college continue to work with AIE to deliver the Personal Support Worker, Maintenance Management, Social Service Worker programs designed for First Nations students as well as the introduction of a new Office Administration program.
Beaucage and Taylor both agree that education cannot be approached in a cookie cutter manner, however, the success of the partnership has caught the attention of others.
“Yes there are some other first nations across the country that are looking at that,” states Beaucage.
“We’ve also had some inquiries from South America on how to develop educational institutes for the indigenous people of South America. I believe that we are providing some good processes here and we are models for other communities, and we’ll continue to lead the way with partners like Canadore College. I think we’re doing a great job in this partnership arrangement, and certainly it’s very positive thing for all of our community members.”
The Grand Chief also opened the door to expanding the partnership by introducing the idea of a residence for First Nations students at Canadore.
Beaucage says student housing is a big priority for him and that the issue mimics what’s happening in his communities as whole.
“We don’t have enough housing for our families and our communities. And then when our students leave the communities to work at an education program they come and to urban centres they find out that there’s not enough housing for them in the urban centres.”
“We need to put this as a priority and work with Canadore College and look at something for the future.”
“We’re not going to be breaking ground tomorrow, but what we can do is start the planning process, start the process to get funding and look at how we are going to solve this particular problem. Because the last thing a student should worry about is where they are going to live, what they should be concerned about is getting good grades and working hard at the educational process.” He states.
Beaucage says he would be looking for a residence style facility suitable for students with children, married students and single students primarily a native student residence within the Canadore College framework. He also wants the students involved in the process versus a top down approach.
Taylor chuckled when the Beaucage introduced the notion telling him that she and her staff had been discussing that very topic at their morning meeting.
“We know that one of the major issues for those students is adequate housing and not only housing for single people, but housing for families who are having to come from their communities to North Bay to access the education and training here,” states Taylor.
Taylor also agreed that no ground will be broken in the next couple of days and that talk around such a project has been casual at best, she does see a residence partnership project as a logical next step.
“Certainly there is a commitment on the part of the college to work with our partners here at the Union of Ontario Indians,” she says.
“Because I think this would be, as Grand Chief Beaucage has said, a win – win for those students and communities and a win – win for the two organisations in filling their mandate.”

However, long way to go to address poverty, Beaucage

NIPISSING FIRST NATION (March 19, 2007) – First Nations in Ontario are encouraged by the direction of the Conservative Government in the areas of on-reserve market housing, improving employment opportunities and addressing First Nations specific claims.�
However, the government has a long way to go to seriously address issues such as First Nations poverty and the substantial ‘housing deficit’.
“We were hopeful that we’d see something that resembles the Conservative’s assurance that they’d meet the objectives of Kelowna,” said Grand Council Chief John Beaucage. “However, the government’s budget takes us a step in the right direction by investing in market housing initiatives. We are committed to developing a true housing market for First Nations on-reserve.”
Grand Council Chief Beaucage, who holds the Assembly of First Nations’ (AFN) national portfolio for housing, has been advocating for investments to marketing housing including the establishment of a First Nations Investment Trust in encourage further public-private housing investment.
Budget 2007 commits to work in consultation with First Nations to develop approaches to support the development of individual property ownership on reserve and encourage lending for private housing. The budget announced that $300 million will be dedicated to this approach.
“However, social housing shouldn’t take a back seat to establishing a market housing,” said Grand Council Chief Beaucage. “The majority of our communities cannot afford market housing.”
According to estimates from the Assembly of First Nations, First Nations continue to be short over 80,000 units nationwide. That number does not count units that may need substantial renovations or even replacement. Many First Nations people live in overcrowded, unhealthy and unsafe housing conditions.
Grand Council Chief Beaucage is advocating investment to First Nations governments, rather than funding to government programs, to address the housing deficit and eradicating poverty.
“We need to devote more resources to First Nations communities through our own governments rather than being caught up in administration and government bureaucracy,” said Grand Council Chief Beaucage. “The government needs to invest in First Nations government in much the same way they deal with funding to the Provinces – through transfer payments and revenue sharing.”
However, according to the Union of Ontario Indians, the 2007 budget will do little to address the fact that 1 in 4 First Nations children live in poverty, and the fact that the average annual income in the Anishinabek Nation is $17,211 for men and $14,232 for women. Further, the unemployment rate for Anishinabek Nation communities is 24.4 per cent.
“The government must do more to prioritize First Nations issues, especially the goal of eliminating First Nations poverty,” said Grand Council Chief Beaucage. “Our people cannot have private home ownership if we can’t afford the mortgage.”
The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians (UOI) as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42-member First Nations across Ontario . The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.

By John Beaucage
Grand Council Chief
Anishinabek Nation

Many years ago, when I first became involved in First Nations political issues, I kept hearing the term “fiduciary duty” when talking about our relationship with the Crown. Like many laymen, I had no idea what fiduciary meant, so of course I looked it up. What I found was this:Fiduciary – (noun) a person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another;
- Of, or pertaining to the relationship between fiduciary and his or her principal: a fiduciary capacity; a fiduciary duty.
- Relating to of the nature of a legal trust (i.e. the holding of something in trust for another): “a fiduciary contract”; “in a fiduciary capacity”; “fiduciary power”

Essentially, the definition of fiduciary is “a person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another.”  Children or the elderly typically need a fiduciary.  The fiduciary looks after the assets of another and is expected to act in the best interest of the person whose assets they are protecting.  This is known as “fiduciary duty.”
How has this concept translated for First Nations? By imposing the Indian Act upon us, and virtually controlling our lives for more than 100 years, the Government of Canada became a de facto fiduciary. However, I would argue that the Indian Act itself has breached Canada’s fiduciary obligations.
This same Indian Act, supposedly created to look after our best interests, would not even allow us to obtain legal advice when dealing with the government or others on treaty negotiations or land claims.  The Indian Act prohibited lawyers from charging fees to an Indian or an Indian band, which was an effective way to prevent First Nations from obtaining legal counsel.  The prohibition remained in effect right up until 1951.
Decisions were made for us about governing our own community affairs, educating our children, and obtaining health care for our elders. The Indian Act has dictated outside control over every aspect of our lives for many, many years. It still includes a requirement for First Nation governments to get approval from Ottawa to permit them to authorize spraying of noxious weeds in their communities.
The concept of the federal-First Nation fiduciary relationship dominated Native affairs debates for two thirds of the last century. Indians were regarded, in effect, as wards of the Crown.  The whole idea of fiduciary duty was encapsulated in our relationship with the federal government.
As I became more involved with the political process and looked at other aspects of the meaning of fiduciary, other insights presented themselves.
“The fiduciary looks after the assets of another and is expected to act in that person’s best interests.” This aspect of the definition certainly falters when trying to apply it to First Nations issues.
The main reason that treaties were instituted was, in fact, to find a legal way to exploit our lands and resources.  The reason for the Indian Act was to control, subjugate, and colonize Indians. Our best interests were not seen as a high priority at all.
In fact, if there was a legal way to get rid of Indians in Canada, that would be the preferable way to move forward as far as Canada was concerned, hence the government’s 1969 White Paper which proposed to eliminate our unique treaty and aboriginal rights.
To our credit, since the 1960s, First Nations citizens have become more politically astute.  Our past leaders fought well to preserve our rights.  Through the work of the Union of Ontario Indians, the National Indian Brotherhood and others, we fought for and achieved constitutional recognition. We also have legal precedents that confirm our rights. Today, there are several meaningful self-government agreements in place and over 80 more being negotiated throughout Canada.
Our own Anishinabek Nation Restoration of Jurisdiction process represents the largest self-government table in Canada. On Feb. 16 the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, wrote his signature beside mine to signify an agreement-in-principle on core governance principles after a decade of negotiations on behalf of our 42 communities across Ontario.
We talk about our Nation-to-Nation, Government-to-Government relationship with Federal and Provincial governments.  Yet despite all of this momentum and political awareness, we still cling to the sacred fiduciary relationship, a failed concept that has done us great disservice.
By its very nature a fiduciary duty must end at some point. A parent-child relationship changes, and at some point it reverses itself in terms of duty of care. 
But let US be the first to talk about ending the fiduciary relationship on our terms.  Let us talk about the contractual relationship that has been brought about by the treaties.  Let us negotiate  fiscal equalization transfers that are our due because of resources taken from our territories. The provinces discuss equalization payments all of the time with the federal government and so now do many of the country’s larger cities. These are contractual and business relationships, certainly nothing to be ashamed of; we are not demeaning our governments or ourselves by entering into these types of discussions. 
Only we should be responsible for our futures and ourselves. To cling to the concept of maintaining a fiduciary relationship is like saying we want a “safety net”.
That is not being self-sufficient or self-reliant. In order for self-government to be a reality, the concept of fiduciary duty must perish in order to give life to our aspirations for our children’s futures and strong First Nations governments.
We must begin to take steps to get beyond the fiduciary duty. We must begin to ask ourselves: do we need to be dependant on the Government of Canada?  Are they really working in the best interests of our people?
We must look toward sovereignty, success and self-sustainability.  These are the keys to true self-government and true self-determination.

John Beaucage is Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation, a political confederacy of 42 First Nations whose traditional territories are located in present-day Ontario.