Seven Steps to Nation Rebuilding
CREATE A MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE How does change start and how is it sustained? Community members and leaders have to be ready for change, understand what it means, and be fully prepared to support it.
ESTABLISH A VISION FOR THE FUTURE A movement for change requires a clear sense of direction. Communities must come together to create a shared vision of the future. A mandate for change is only as great as the vision of the citizens who support it.
MAP YOUR JOURNEY Develop a road map that sets out how you intend to achieve your communityʼs vision. It will keep you on track, show your progress, and allow you to adjust to unexpected challenges.
EXERCISE YOUR RIGHTS AND LIVE YOUR CULTURE It is essential to learn about our rights and be aware of our responsibilities, but learning is not enough. We need to exercise our rights by living our culture. First Nations in Canada have different histories and may have treaty rights, inherent rights, and aboriginal title.
GET BEYOND THE INDIAN ACT The Indian Act is an ill-fitting boot made by someone else for their own purposes. If you want real, positive change, you must take the time to develop your own governance. This is not going to happen overnight and does not need to happen all at once.
BE A REAL GOVERNMENT AND GOVERN Real governments are given authority from their people to make laws that benefit their citizens and reflect their culture. These governments interact with other governments and negotiate ways to reconcile differences based on respect.
DELIVER THE GOODS Seeing children learning your language; being engaged in the economy and stewardship of your traditional lands; governing according to your customs and traditions; having true nation-to-nation relations; seeing pride in your communities - these are outcomes we can all strive for as we restore our nations governance.