Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) supports First Nation communities in the implementation of strong, effective and sustainable governments. Research has shown that effective governance is the single greatest contributing factor to a community's socio-economic progress and its overall well-being.

Good governance and institutions help First Nation communities to:

• take greater control over the decisions that affect their lives;
• carry out effective relationships with other governments;
• take advantage of economic development opportunities;
• improve programs and services; and,
• enhance their social and economic well-being.

Governance structures among First Nation communities are at different stages of maturity and development. Some First Nations have self-government agreements with Canada while others have minimal governance structures. Many First Nations fall somewhere in between.

AANDC engages in wide-ranging activities to help support communities in their transition to stronger, more effective governance systems, including:

• Negotiating and implementing self-government and land claim agreements.
• Providing funding to Band offices and Tribal Councils for core operations, such as office space, salaries and benefits, as well as for advisory services and professional and institutional development.
• Amending relevant laws and regulations to help support First Nation institutions, organizations and governments.
• Building cooperative relationships with First Nation governments through the use of modern and historic treaties.

In addition to these activities, AANDC also supports the governance capacity of First Nations through tools and resources for governance and by providing support to independent First Nations-led institutions such as the National Centre for First Nations Governance.

AANDC supports the development of First Nations institutions and governance capacity, while respecting Canada's constitutional and statutory obligations concerning First Nations. The Department oversees the implementation and administration of governance processes under the Indian Act, while at the same time reviewing these processes to respond to new challenges and court decisions such as the landmark Corbière decision, which extended voting rights to all Band members regardless of residency.

More information about the AANDC's activities and programs in this area will be made available in the near future, including information about the Department's current and previous work on governance.

Exploratory Process:

When Gender Equity in Indian Registration Act was tabled on March 11, 2010, the Government announced its intention to launch an exploratory process on issues relating to Indian registration, Band membership and citizenship. This joint process was launched to address the broader issues on Indian registration, Band membership and First Nations citizenship that went beyond the scope of the decision and the legislative amendments passed under the Act.

With the passage of the Act into law in January 2011, the Exploratory Process was officially launched. The purpose of the initiative was to identify, examine and discuss the broader issues associated with registration, membership and citizenship that go beyond the Gender Equity in Indian Registration Act amendments. The process was to be inclusive and structured to encourage the participation of First Nations and Métis groups, organizations and individuals at the national, regional and local levels.

Visit the Exploratory Process section of this website for more information.