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03 March 2009

Yup... batten down the hatches

Leaked documents suggest a significant overhaul of aboriginal procedures is in the works...
But addressing these very issues triggered widespread protests from native leaders six years ago when the Liberal government brought in its doomed First Nations Governance Act.
My guess is, despite this fact... Iggy and the Puffin Nation are gonna try turn this into a huge controversy...
One document marked secret and dated Feb. 19, 2008, asks for the approval of Indian Affairs' associate deputy minister to seek cabinet's approval to change the policies for funding band councils. It describes the measures as "less ambitious" and "more modest" than the Governance Act. But it also recommends that the new policies "would not be optional."
And what exactly are we talking about here?
The documents suggest the new policy will revive the central elements of the Governance Act, including mandatory rules for bands on how to conduct elections and make their spending public to members.
Oh, the horror.

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