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Questions Related to Ochapowace Governance Renewal

Questions from the February 2nd Announcement:

  1. Will there be another meeting where we can ask more questions once we have had a chance to understand how this structure will work:
    1. Yes.  We are now at a point where we will be implementing the announced changes, and we will be providing regular opportunities to interact with members through multiple communication channels such as Zoom, Facebook, Email, written communication; and as soon as possible physical meetings.  We welcome questions and input from our community at any time as well.
  2. Can you comment on the links to urban inclusion?
    1. The focus of the governance renewal is for the benefit of all members of the Nation. We will be developing ways to provide additional supports to our urban members in the future as well. We will also take advantage of communications technology to allow urban members to participate in public meetings.
  3. Who takes care of the ICFS?
    1. This is an important area that will be addressed by the Heath Department of Administration with respect to current services.  Our Health and Wellness Mandate will be addressing the future needs of our Nation in this area. The Federal legislation allowing First Nations to take over jurisdiction for child welfare is a welcome development and we will be developing our own legislation to allow us to assume this responsibility.
  4. Is it possible to get a copy of this meeting?
    1. Yes.  A recording is available on the Facebook site and a copy of the presentation will be made available on our website.
  5. What is a whistleblower policy?
    1. A whistleblower policy creates a process by which an employee may report illegal, immoral, unethical or harmful activities by someone without fear of repercussions for having made such a report. It protects the “whistleblower” from being targeted for retribution for coming forward.
  6. How will the positions on Boards and Task Forces be chosen?
    1. All positions on Boards will publicly posted and chosen through a competitive process.  Positions on Task Forces will be publicly posted, although individuals with specialized knowledge or experience related to the purpose of the Task Force may be appointed from time to time. Through this process more people will be able to be involved in Nation affairs.
  7. Who is to hold Chief and Council accountable?
    1. Council through its transparency commitment will be making its actions and decisions available to members on a regular basis. Members will be able to provide feedback to Council on a regular basis through direct means, participation on Task Forces, or attendance at public forums. The ultimate control members will have to hold Council accountable will be through the Nation’s election process.
  8. Does the restructuring include urban membership and do these laws and policies only have municipal power?
    1. The governance renewal is for the benefit of all members of the Nation. While the changes being implemented will be most visible to members resident on the reserve; the application of changes are being made with all Nation members in mind.  The laws passed by the Nation will only have application on the Nation. We will not have jurisdiction off the Nation and therefore will be unable to enforce any Nation laws except on our reserve.  As mentioned, our long term intent is to achieve self-determination as a Nation and with this in mind we will be seeking to develop our own laws.
  9. Why are we only hearing about this now? Why do we not have a say? What are the pro’s and con’s of this rollout?
    1. Development of the governance renewal plan has taken a significant amount of time to be ready to announce.  We wanted to be sure that the plan would achieve our original objectives of setting our Nation up for self-determination through self-government and that we had ensured that all aspects of the governance and administration of our Nation had been considered appropriately.  In addition, the renewal was contingent on putting in place a permanent Executive Director of Operations before amending the day to day focus of Council.
    2. Members elect Council to provide governance of the Nation.  Council is empowered to determine how they organize themselves while meeting the needs of the members of the Nation.  This is not the first time that our governance processes have been renewed, and for legitimate reasons as our needs as a Nation change over time.  We believe this is the right time to address how we govern because we wish to ensure that we become both more effective and efficient on behalf of all our members.
    3. The governance renewal is intended to achieve the following:
      1. Improve the level of service provided by Administration by both empowering them to undertake their role, and holding them accountable for the level of service provided
      2. Create a better future for our Nation by refocusing Council’s efforts from day to day issues related to programs and services provided by Administration, to the future needs of our Nation through the assignment of specific mandates to individual Councilors related to the most pressing needs of the Nation.  
      3. Improve the level of fairness and equity for all members in the provision of programs and services
      4. Improve the level of transparency of governance for members so they have access to the activities and decisions of Council
      5. Focus on the overall improvement of the quality of life for members of the Nation, and development of a prosperous future for our Nation
  10. What is the plan for people not complying with the COVID lock down rules?
    1. Not complying with COVID lockdown puts our loved ones at risk.  It is imperative that we all work together for the safety of all.  If, under extreme instances the RCMP will be called. 
  11. Are the committees still in place?
    1. The current committees will be replaced by Task Forces in the near future.  Before this transfer occurs the Committees will be asked to provide input based on their knowledge and experience as to what the Administration should be focused on in its future activities.  The input function provided by committees will be replaced by creating Task Forces on an as-needed basis when member input is needed.  It is not intended that Administration or Council will act unilaterally at any time without the benefit of member input; however the mechanisms for obtaining input are being changed.
  12. Who is a part of Treasury Board, and how would someone inquire about being a part of that board?
    1. The Treasury Board has not been formally struck as of yet; however the public positions for independent members of Treasury Board will be posted on the Nation’s website soon.  The members of Treasury Board will include 3 members of Council and 2 independent appointments.  The criteria for independent appointments will include:
      1. Ability to be bondable;
      2. Providing a drug test when requested;
      3. Providing a criminal record check;
      4. Post-secondary education;
      5. Not in arrears with any monies owing to Ochapowace Nation;
      6. Has verifiable financial experience including reading and presenting financial plans and financial statements.
  13. Is Ochapowace going to pursue certification under financial management board?
    1. The financial management certification process is a very valuable process and will be something we consider as we move forward with governance renewal.
  14. What is the Clerk’s office about?
    1. The Clerk’s office provides support to Council in their day to day activities, the preparation, maintenance, protection and dissemination of all official records, the administration of the Election Act, the support of the Dispute Resolution Office, and the general protocols of the Nation as established by our governance processes, Nation traditions, ceremony and culture.  This is a very important function in the governance of the Nation.

 

General Questions:

  1. What is this project about?
    1. This project is about renewing our Nation’s governance structures and process to ensure we are able to achieve our vision of a proud, prosperous and unified sovereign Nation
  2. Why are you doing it?
    1. Our progress to self-determination as a Nation has been too slow and this will enable our Council and administration to become more effective towards that end.
  3. Why is it taking so long?
    1. During the process of designing our new governance systems Council has also carried on with all their existing duties as well, which has delayed our process of governance renewal.
  4. Why won’t Headpersons be working with Administration anymore?
    1. In the past Council has worked alongside of administration to ensure citizens were receiving the services promised by the Nation.  While this has been effective, it has prevented Council from having the time to focus on the long term future of the Nation, and to build relationships and treaties beyond our Nation that will benefit us in the future.  We are empowering administration to take full responsibility for services, and will be putting in new processes to address citizen concerns regarding service issues that will be fair and transparent to all.
  5. Who is going to represent us if Council isn’t focused on Administration?
    1. Administration will carry the primary responsibility for ensuring citizen satisfaction with services.  In the event that citizens are not receiving satisfactory service in accordance with Nation policies, redress processes are be implemented.  This will include the creation of a Dispute Resolution Office to address citizen service issues. There will also be a Citizen Advocate position that will work with citizens to guide them through the process of addressing their concerns.
  6. Is this going to cost more to run?
    1. There will be additional costs involved however Council will also be monitoring the costs in relation to the new revenues that are also anticipated to be generated through our business activities. 
  7. Are staff going to lose job?
    1. This is not a cost reduction initiative, so that is not the focus of our efforts.  Once the new Executive Director of Operations is in place they will be responsible for staffing requirements; however to be clear our intent is to improve the access and availability of services to citizens which will require significant employment.
  8. Where did you get this new governance model?
    1. The governance model chosen is tailor made to our requirements, drawing on best practices from other governance models utilized by other Nations, governments and organizations.  Council has been fully engaged in every decision made in the design of our new governance structure.  In fact, this governance model also draws heavily on our own Nation’s past governance structures as well.
  9. What changes will affect me as a citizen?
    1. Citizens will continue to access services as usual; however in the event of a dispute over decisions made by administration they will now seek redress through a dispute resolution process. In addition, administration and council will be seeking input on an ongoing basis from citizens through the creation of task forces. There will also be new components added to our Nation structure in the future such as a Judicial Body to adjudicate our laws, and a Legislative Assembly to approve new laws.
  10. What other Nations are doing this?
    1. Many Nations are reviewing their governance structures.  Most recently Cowessess Nation revised their governance similar to what we are doing. A common feature of many Nations governance reviews is to separate politics from both business and administration.  That is a key feature of our efforts as well.
  11. I elected Council to represent me and my interests.  How will this do that?
    1. Council will continue to provide direction to administration on both what services to be delivered and the level of service to be provided.  They will monitor how well that is being achieved and make adjustments as necessary through direction to the Executive Director of Operations. The Dispute Resolution Office will also provide a non-political redress process for citizens.  In addition, Council will be focused on the long term future of the Nation, but identifying new funding arrangements, treaties, programs and services that will be of benefit to citizens.
  12. I haven’t heard any details on this but you have been working on it for several years. How come?
    1. We admit we have not provided as much information about this process as citizens would like, although it has been a process of continuous change and improvements and making announcements prior to making our final decisions would have been misleading.  We are now ready to roll out the changes identified.
  13. How is this going to make things better?
    1. Council will be more focused on creating the future our Nation desires and deserves while empowering administration to deliver on our existing programs and services.  In addition, politics will be removed from both business and administration so all citizens will receive equal treatment.  We will also be making information about our Nation more transparent, so citizens have information about how their Nation is being run.
  14. How will this lead to self-government?
    1. In order to have self-government, we need to have our own laws and governance bodies to generate, uphold and adjudicate them.  This process will put in place the necessary bodies and processes allow us to take control of our own future, independent of external influences.
  15. How will self-government benefit us?
    1. By directing our own future we will be able to work towards our Nation’s vision, and will be able to ensure our own priorities are address rather than the interests of those external to our Nation. It will also allow us to restore and retain our own language and culture.
  16. How will the recreation of the Chacachas Reserve be affected by this?
    1. This will not impede or interfere with the recreation of the Chacachas Reserve.
  17. Is Council abandoning its responsibilities to citizens?
    1. No.  In fact, Council believes citizens will be better served in the future as a result of these changes.
  18. How will citizens participate in governance if you are eliminating committees?
    1. Council and administration will be using what are called task forces to consult and receive input from citizens on the level of service being provided, and the need for and features of new programs and services that citizen’s desire.  Under this new structure we envision more citizens being involved in the governance processes and not fewer.
  19. I am not satisfied with Administration services now.  How will this be better and not worse if Council doesn’t work with Administration?
    1. Our current processes draw heavily on Council to advocate on behalf of individuals.  While this may be effective, depending on the skills of Council, it leads to random rather and consistent decisions and over time confusion as to what is appropriate or inappropriate.  We are moving to a more clearly defined policy based system for delivery of services so that everyone will know and understand what level of service is provided and should be able to predict whether they do or do not qualify for specific programs.  Citizens will also benefit from the Citizen’s Advocate position and Dispute Resolution Office in the event of a dispute.
  20. Will staff be demoted?
    1. Our intention is that citizens will receive better service in the future that in the past.  In order to achieve this, staff will need to receive training, access to resources and clear guidance on expectations.  Once the Executive Director of Operations position is filled they will be reviewing administration’s structure and positions with a view to ensuring that staff are positioned for success and provided with the resources required.
  21. Will salaries be affected?
    1. At this time we are unable to predict what changes will occur over time, however ensuring employees are compensated at a level consistent with the responsibilities of their position is important and will be something Council will be asking the Executive Director of Operations to address.
  22. What does it mean to separate politics and business?
    1. Political decisions are often driven by efforts to be re-elected or to achieve specific outcomes for the Nation.  Our business entities require consistent leadership that is independent of political decisions in order to be successful and when decisions are imposed on them for political and not business reasons, they are highly likely to be put in a position of potential failure or set back.  For this reason we want to free our businesses from political decision making to ensure they are successful.
  23. How will politics be separated from business?
    1. We will be appointing independent directors to our business entities such as Atoskewin.
  24. With all these changes, how will citizens know what is going on?
    1. We will be making information about how the Nation is doing, and what decisions are being made available to citizens.  For example we will be making the agenda’s and minutes of our council meetings available to citizens.
  25. How will citizens know that Council isn’t padding their own pockets through this?
    1. We will be making our governance and processes much more transparent through reporting to citizens through reports and statements. 
  26. I want to talk to Headpersons.  Will I still be able to do that?
    1. Yes, citizens will still have access to Headpersons; however Headpersons will not become involved in advocating on behalf of individual citizens where there are specific dispute resolutions processes and policies in place.  Council will be engaging with citizens on an ongoing basis to determine both what changes are needed and how well services are being delivered.
  27. Without Committees, how will you know what is going on, and what citizens are concerned about?
    1. Council will be making use of task forces that are focused on specific programs or services to obtain input from citizens.
  28. How is this Dispute Resolution Office going to work?
    1. In the event of a dispute there will be a staged process to address the issue.  It will start by being referred to a higher authority level with administration, up to the level of the Executive Director of Operations.  In the event that the issue has still not been resolved, the issue will be referred to the Dispute Resolution Office who will adjudicate the issue.
  29. Are you going to be hiring people who are not part of Ochapowace Nation?
    1. That will be a decision of the Executive Director of Operations, as they will be responsible for all staff.
  30. How is this going to affect our business ventures?
    1. Our business ventures should see nominal impact other that the appointment of independent individuals to their boards of directors to ensure they are focused on business success and not political issues.
  31. How will I know what you are doing?
    1. Through the implementation of new transparency initiatives much more information will be available  to citizens than in the past.
  32. How can the new Executive Director position manage the whole Administration area on their own?
    1. While our Nation has many employees, it is not at all unusual for the senior position in an organization to be responsible for the support and service delivery of many more employees that we have. Council will still be overseeing the performance of the Executive Director of Operations. 
  33. How will Council control the Administration area if they aren’t involved?
    1. Council will be providing direction to the Executive Director, approving policies for how the administration will deliver services and be monitoring their results to ensure the citizens are being properly served. 
  34. How will Treasury Board work?
    1. Treasure Board will be the overseer of the Nation’s financial affairs.  It will include 3 members of Council along with 2 independent members who are qualified in financial affairs to provide direction to Council on how well the Nation is performing financially, and in the appropriateness of budgets prepared by administration.
  35. What do you mean by “Independent” members of Treasury Board?
    1. Independent means that the persons appointed are free from any conflicts of interest that might lead them to make decisions in favor of their own or a related parties interest.
  36. How will this prevent favoritism in appointing people to positions?
    1. Generally we anticipate that positions will be posted publically and not appointed privately.
  37. What is a task force and how is that better than what we had?
    1. A task force is a temporary group brought together for a specific purpose on behalf of either Council or administration.  There will be a specific purpose, terms of reference and timelines for the work of a task force.
  38. You talk about transparency – how will you achieve that?
    1. Council will be establishing principles of transparency regarding the work of the Council and administration.  It is intended that citizens will have access to information relevant to the operations and decisions being made on their behalf.
  39. How will this address a lack of jobs?
    1. Through the Nations’ wealth creation entity, Atoskewin, a renewed focus will be put on the creation of new companies, jobs and wealth for the Nation. 
  40. How will this address the need for better housing?
    1. One of the mandates established for Council is Land, Natural Resources and Infrastructure.  The future needs of our Nation with regards to housing and the related infrastructure supporting out quality of life will be a key component of the work under that mandate. 
  41. What do you mean by lifelong learning?
    1. Life long learning implies that we should pursue new learning throughout our lifetime, and the mandate around lifelong learning will be to investigate ways to create learning opportunities for citizens at all stages of their life; whether it be life skills, creative skills, job training or advancement knowledge and skills or formal education.
  42. What is a whistleblower policy?
    1. A whistleblower policy creates a process by which an employee may report illegal, immoral, unethical or harmful activities by someone without fear of repercussions for having made such a report. It protects the “whistleblower” from being targeted for retribution for coming forward.
  43. What does the Clerk’s office do?
    1. The clerk’s office is the official record keeper of the Nation. They maintain all laws, bylaws, policies and processes approved by citizens and Council. They also support Council by informing them of approved governance processes that have been established, keeping them on track for Council commitments, and making available information of a public nature to citizens. The clerk’s office also houses the Dispute Resolution Office. 
  44. What about our Elders? Have you talked to them?
    1. Council have included both an Elder and a Senator in all of our deliberations on governance renewal since the beginning.  The result of our work has been made much stronger by the advice and guidance.
  45. How does this affect safety of citizens?
    1. Citizen safety involves many factors such as physical safety, mental safety, freedom from harm, prejudice, and privacy of information, to name a few.  Council will be addressing each of these in different ways.  We will be addressing physical safety through the creation of a peacekeeper body.  We will also be addressing physical safety through the development of better infrastructure and passing of bylaws, and creating transparent policies to protect individual’s private information.
  46. You talk about creating our own laws.  How will these be upheld?
    1. Our path to self-determination requires that we have our own laws to guide our Nation, and also that we are able to uphold those laws.  To achieve this we will be creating a legislation assembly to review and approve Nation Laws. We will be creating a judicial body to adjudicate our laws, and we will be creating a peacekeepers body to uphold our laws.  Collectively these developments will be instrumental in getting up to the point where we can exercise our self-determination as a Nation.
  47. How can we have our own laws, and provincial laws and federal laws?  Which ones do we follow?
    1. Until such time as we have our own laws, judicial and peacekeeper bodies we will be subject to municipal, provincial and federal laws as they apply at present.  As we develop our own laws this will gradually remove us from the jurisdiction of external government bodies.
  48. How will this result in better roads, schools, recreational facilities, cleaner water and other utilities?
    1. One of the Council mandates is Land, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure.  The focus of this mandate will be to look at the current state of our infrastructure, establish goals we wish to achieve in the availability and quality of our infrastructure in the future and investigate plans and opportunities to achieve this.
  49. How will this help with poor health and living conditions at Ochapowace?
    1. A key component of our Nation’s vision is to be a proud, prosperous and unified sovereign Nation. We believe that improving the quality of life for Ochapowace Nation citizens is fundamental to the achievement of this vision.  Many of our actions will contribute to this including the identification of new programs and services for citizens, focused improvement of our infrastructure and housing, improvement in the availability and quality of our education opportunities and healthcare services. 
  50. How long will it take to fully implement the governance renewal?
    1. We are unable to estimate how long full implementation will take; however we will be approaching implementation on a stages process commencing immediately.  Initially we will be focused on addressing changes in our administration area, and in Council’s key activities, but over time we will be implementing the new governance structures such as Treasury Board, peacekeepers, the Family Council’s, legislative assembly and our judicial body. 

>>> Governnance Rollout Powerpoint Presentation - download .pdf version <<<