SELF-GOVERNMENT

In general terms, there is some agreement on what the concept of self-government implies. Self-government for Aboriginals means that they, as First Nations, will govern their own people and their affairs including land and its use.

Some factors that constitute the overall thinking on self-government are :

1)

A greater self-determination and social justice. That is, protection of and control over one's own destiny, rather than subordination to political and bureaucratic authorities based outside the ethnic group.

2)

Economic development to end dependency, poverty and unemployment.

3)

Protection and retention of Aboriginal culture.

4)

Social vitality and development that will overcome such existing social problems as ill health, the housing crises, irrelevant and demeaning education, and alienation.

In order to achieve these goals, Aboriginal self-government would need the political institutions that would be acceptable to the Aboriginal electorate. It would need a territorial base, control over group membership and continuing fiscal support. The political institutions would need to have control over a number of areas that deal with or affect Aboriginal peoples, such as citizenship, land, water, forestry, minerals, conservation, environment, economic development, education, health, cultural development, and law enforcement.

How these controls are to be handed over to Aboriginal governments have yet to be worked out. And whether all or some of these issues will be dealt with remains to be seen. Indian Bands in Manitoba have just begun (Although this process has been ongoing since the signing of the first treaties, it is only in recent years that the federal government has recognized the need for change) the process of negotiating these issues and are working on strategies to implement their system of self-government.