Publications Release Aboriginal Policy Research Initiative

Sorry for any cross-postings.

Hello,

The Aboriginal Policy Research Network of the Office of the Federal
Interlocutor for Métis and Non-status Indians, in collaboration with The
Institute On Governance (IOG), has just released several papers for its
policy research series on issues affecting Métis, non-status Indians and
other Aboriginal peoples residing off-reserve. Following is a list of
the five new papers under the series that are available on the
Aboriginal Policy Research Initiative website:
http://iog.ca/en/knowledge-areas/aboriginal-governance/aboriginal-policy-research-initiative


The goal of the initiative has been to encourage the development and
publication of high quality, policy relevant papers that might promote
dialogue and discussions among
researchers, policy makers, and Aboriginal stakeholders. Since its
inception, the Aboriginal Policy Research Initiative (APRI) has yielded
twelve scholarly, peer-reviewed papers and accompanying policy briefs.
Topics are diverse, yet share a focus on issues of particular relevance
to Métis, Non-Status Indians, and urban Aboriginal people.

The ?Duty to Consult,? Environmental Impacts and Métis Indigenous
Knowledge
Annette Chrétien and Brenda Murphy, Wilfrid Laurier University (March
2010)

Environmental initiatives are increasingly acknowledging the legal
obligation to consult with Canada?s Aboriginal peoples, including
Métis, and are soliciting their input and knowledge. Since Métis
communities are already involved in consultation processes, there is an
urgent need to develop immediate, implementable approaches for
effectively consulting with Métis rights-bearing communities. This paper
addresses the basis for the Crown?s duty to consult with Canada?s
Métis communities. After briefly examining the sources of Métis
Indigenous Knowledge, it suggests how a consultation process could be
designed to meet both the Crown?s duty to consult and the needs of
Métis rights-bearing communities.

Thoughts on Métis Economic Development
Gregg Dahl, Office of the Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status
Indians (February 2010)

This paper presents a thought experiment conducted to determine some
rational limits on how Canada could settle a possible outstanding
obligation to the Métis. It also considers how such a settlement might
be used for Métis economic development by addressing the need for access
to capital. The paper suggests that a promising way to settle with the
Métis would be to set aside a rationally constrained amount in a
trust fund from which Métis communities (as understood in the 2003
Supreme Court of Canada decision, R. v. Powley) could draw in order to
participate in, or create, economic development opportunities.

The Duty to Consult Doctrine and Representative Structures for
Consultation with Métis Communities and Non-Status Indian Communities
Dwight Newman, University of Saskatchewan (March 2010)

At a general level, the duty to consult doctrine has been acknowledged
to open new opportunities for Aboriginal communities; however, the
doctrine has been developed in the
specific context of consultations with recognized First Nations. This
paper analyzes the implications of recent duty to consult case law for
Métis and Non-Status Indian communities
as well as government interactions with them. It presents possible
means for enhancing the opportunities of Métis and Non-Status
communities to be involved in consultation and points to policy steps
that could further this reality.

The Duty to Consult with Non-Status Indians: Mi?kmaq Politics and
Crown Responsibilities in Nova Scotia
Bernard Huber, McGill University (March 2010)

The legal uncertainty around the harvesting rights of non-status
Indians presents challenges for consulting with non-status Indians in
resource management. This paper presents an instance of this reality
through an analysis of the positio
n of non-status Mi'kmaq as represented
by the Native Council of Nova Scotia (NCNS) in tripartite negotiations
in Nova
Scotia. Drawing lessons from this case study, it suggests that both
First Nation groups and government agencies need to support the
political representation and consultation of non-status Indians and
Métis people for all Aboriginal people to benefit from the duty to
consult and establish viable agreements of self-government.

First Nations and Métis Youth in Northern Alberta: Toward a More
Expansive View of Transitions
Alison Taylor and Lois Edge, University of Alberta, Tracy L. Friedel,
University of British Columbia (March 2010)

This paper examines issues related to transitions to further education
and work for First Nation and Métis youth in a municipality in northern
Alberta. Its case study supports the need for a view of youth
transitions that attends to historical and institutional contexts,
adopts an expanded view of learning-to-work, and includes voices of
Aboriginal youth. Effective education and training approaches would seek
to broaden horizons of action for Aboriginal youth, attend to the
knowledge they already possess, and validate alternative ways of
knowing. An expansive and critical approach to youth transitions moves
the discussion from individual risk factors to the social, political,
and economic tensions that affect the lives of Aboriginal youth today.



Thank you.

Cheryl Matthew, MA

Senior Policy Analyst
Aboriginal Policy Research Network
Policy & Advocacy Directorate
Office of the Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
12th Floor
66 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0H4

Telephone: (613) 992-8455
Facsimile: (613) 947-1853
Email: cheryl.matthew@ainc-inac.gc.ca
Website: http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/interloc/index-eng.asp

APRN:
http://iog.ca/en/knowledge-areas/aboriginal-governance/aboriginal-policy-research-initiative