The Indigenous Peoples and Governance project fiscal year goes from June 1 to May 31. So we are now starting our second year. The first year has been very busy and very fruitful.

The first National Conference, with all the members of the team, was held June 28 to 30, 2006, in the Mjikaning First Nation (Rama) community, near Toronto. The research team also held a Conference on January 19 and 20, 2007, in Montreal, during which we held working sessions on specific topics. We also had the opportunity to hear from some of our Indigenous partners and we had the honour of receiving Professor Christophe Eberhard, as invited speaker.

The research team held a conference on May 27, 28 and 29 in Saskatoon. This third National Conference allowed us to take a major step forward in our research project. Notably, we identified a conceptual plan that is likely to guide our work. The plan is comprised of six different aspects that involve different dimensions of Indigenous governance and of governance relations between Indigenous people, and between Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people: JUSTIFICATION, PROCESS, MODELS, STRUCTURES, REEFS and INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCES.

Next meetings

We are in the process of consolidating student involvement in our project. On December 6, 7, 8, we will have our first Student Seminar. Approximately 50 students are expected to attend this seminar to be held in Montreal.

The next Conference of the research team will be held February 29 to March 2 in Victoria. The conference, entitled “Recognition and Self-Determination” is co-sponsored with another MCRI-funded research group, on Ethnicity and Democracy.

For more information, please visit the website www.pag-ipg.com, a site which is regularly updated.

Talk to you soon,
Pierre Noreau

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