First Nations Good Governance & Designing Self-Governments
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
First Nations Good Governance & Designing Self-Governments Dec 4, 2019 Welcome Opening Prayer We gratefully acknowledge the opportunity to live, work and play on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the xʷməθkʷəyəm̓ (musqueam), sḵwxwú̱ 7mesh (squamish), səlil̓ w̓ətaʔɬ (tsleil-waututh) Nations. Welcome – Laara Yaghujaanas, M.A., Carden Consulting [email protected] Ph: (604) 988-9500 Agenda Items 1. Opening Prayer, Territorial Acknowledgement & Welcome 2. Discussions regarding Good Leaders 3. What is Good Governance? 4. How can Good Governance be established or strengthened? 5. Designing Nation Governing Structures built upon traditional governing systems 6. Closing (Questions & Answers, Round Circle Closing Comments), Closing Prayer. Good Leaders ▪ Please take 5 minutes and think of one exceptional leader (at all levels) you know of (alive or passed on), ▪ Think of those characteristics that made them good leaders for you. ▪ Share a few examples with the group. What are the Characteristics of Good Governance? Good Governance Characteristics of Individual & Teams of Leaders Accountable to their Citizens Do what you say you are going to do Accountability is a foundational principle of good Qua rterly FIR R ST N ep ATIO ort governance, and is realized primarily through clear efficient N Date 6 communication, and developing/strengthening systems that support ensuring detailed effective reporting on progress to realize the community's goals (CCP, Laws, Governance and Administrative Policies). Good Governance: United Nations, Harvard Nation Building Good Governance Characteristics of Individual & Teams of Leaders Develop/Strengthen Systems that Engage Citizens Develop systems that engage citizens and their on-going participation in their government, including: voicing their needs/priorities, understanding decision-making (particularly for substantive decisions), and understanding where they can share feedback with leaders. Citizen engagement is critical to ensure that a government remains effective and relevant. 7 Good Governance Characteristics of Individual & Teams of Leaders Follows the Rules of Law Revitalize traditional & customary laws (that ensure fairness, equality, etc.), and develop new laws with citizens, based upon their needs & interests. Adheres to other current legislation (provincial, federal), common law, & reduces risk. 8 Good Governance Characteristics of Individual & Teams of Leaders Transparent Fair Decision Making Systems Develop and adhere to fair and transparent culturally relevant laws, policies & practices, including consensus decision-making systems. The goal of proactively establishing these laws, policies, practices and decision making systems is to ensure efficiency, fairness, and knowledge-based decision making. 9 Good Governance Characteristics of Individual & Teams of Leaders Establishes and Use Performance Oriented Systems Develop and adhere to systems that ensure performance and progress to realize citizens goals, using a coaching/supportive learning approach with your Government team and monitoring agreed upon performance measures. 10 Good Governance Characteristics of Individual & Teams of Leaders Responsiveness to the Evolving Needs of Citizens, & Future Generations through a Strategy based upon the needs and interests of citizens Responsiveness is realized through establishing systems that ensure community-based/citizen engaged, planning (CCP) that is responsibly implemented and reported upon regularly, and considers the long-term implications of actions. 11 Governments are Responsible for Citizens Leadership roles and responsibilities should be focused primarily upon establishing, adhere to and supporting conformance with laws, policies and practices that realize your community's goals in five main areas (not delivering programs/services) and leaves a legacy for future genereations that contributes to: 1. Establishing an effective, accountable, ethical government (and core institutes of governance, e.g. DC, Health) upon a foundation of traditional laws and customs; 2. Developing the foundation required to grow their economy (establish a strategic DC, and create opportunities to grow small business/self sufficiency); 3. Building infrastructure (homes, roads, schools, etc.) that improves quality of life of its citizens and attracts businesses; 4. Ensuring public services are established (protection of citizens, health, education, etc.) that support health and well-being; and 5. Establishing revenue streams that support the long-term needs of the government (Taxation). Good Governance is the act of collaboratively establishing and adhering to the rules that coordinate a community’s’ actions, and development, to achieve their goals. Benefits of Good Governance Good Governance is a robust and reliable system to make better quality and more timely ethical decisions. Good governance builds trust, respect, and ensures ethical decision making. For leaders and employees benefits of good governance include: ▪ Improved consistency and quality of decision-making within the organization that improves employee satisfaction; ▪ Improves clarity and fair performance evaluations and accountability; ▪ Reduces stress, and stability; and ▪ Reduces conflict, risk, and supports a safe and healthy working environment. Benefits of Good Governance For citizens the benefits of good governance include: ▪ Higher quality decisions (based upon member interests, knowledge based); ▪ Assured accountability (What is said will be done, actually gets done); ▪ Transparency and Fairness (Rules, process and criteria open for everyone to see); ▪ Increased organizational and community stability; ▪ Increased trust, credibility and legitimacy, membership pride, and citizen engagement; ▪ Reduced liability and conflict; and ▪ Improved social and economic development. How is Good Governance Established or Strengthened within a Nation? How is Good Governance Established or Strengthened within a Nation? Good governance is established or strengthened through the purposeful design and development of governing systems (by-laws, policies, and practices) that enable the will of a community, or a nation to be realized. The effectiveness of a community/nation’s governance correlates directly with the long- term improved social and economic outcomes for citizens. Good Governance Responsibilities and Limits within a Nation Laws Policies Practices Members Responsibility 1. Governing Body 2. Senior Manager of Administration Accountability 3. Departments and Dept. Employees Levels of Policy within a Governing System within a Nation • Nation or Board Good • Set direction and requirements for planning, Governance reporting/control measures • Nation or Org Policies (e.g. Efficient HR/Finance) OperationsGrowth • Planning/Reporting Considering all parties Efficient • Dept. Policies directly/indirectly affected directly/indirectly Departments • Planning/Reporting Organizational Development within a Nation Organizational Performance Maturity Continuous Improvement Instilled Discipline (betterment of outcomes and Processes year after year) (Adherence & monitoring of all policies, and Organizational measuring/reporting of outcomes) Infrastructure (Development of governance, operations, and department policies Repeatable and procedures) Processes Initial Process (start of policy development & standards) Organizational Performance Organizational (individualized) At the same time that we see improvements in performance there are also reductions in conflict and entropy. Disciplined Leadership Practices By adhering to the rules and practices that are proactively established to ensure that a Government or Development Corporation is effective leaders practices establish good governance, in doing so: ▪ Council must maintain control, by using established performance measures (as control measures), together with the strategy, and policies. Council controls “all it must, not all it can” ▪ Council’s role is strategic, and must be disciplined to: ▪ Adhere to & ensure compliance with the established laws, by-laws, policies, procedures, and practices. ▪ Remain focused and advocate for citizens (using agreed upon issue resolution rules)when needed, and the community vision; and ▪ Report on progress of the community plan. Designing Nation Governments First Nation Government Design Most First Nations in BC, and in Canada, are moving increasingly towards self-government, reacting to Federal Treaty and Reconciliation designed processes until 2015: ▪ Treaty is one path ▪ Reconciliation Agreements outside of the Treaty Process, supported by the Tsilhqot’in decision is another path ▪ Both require negotiating lands claims, and building governing systems. All agreements as of 2015 include funding (Financial Transfer Agreement or Fiscal Financing Agreement) to support the design of governing systems that support the on-going delivery of programs and services for citizens. ▪ Values and beliefs inform/support the formation of a governing system, which could be: Monarchy, Democracy (Direct Democracy & Representative Democracy, Democratic Socialism), Republic, Communism, Dictatorship. Governing Systems: Looking Back Elders Advising Leaders Leaders Family Spokesperson/Leader Family Spokesperson/Leader Family Spokesperson/Leader ASSEMBLY PROCESS ASSEMBLY shared leadership systems 24 Governing Systems: INAC Imposed System ▪ 1869 INAC imposed governing hierarchical system not intended to support good governance, but as a tool to control ▪ Traditional Use: