Membership and Governance Process Newsletter

Tansi Members of Chacachas Treaty Nation

This letter is an update on the process to clarify member eligibility as well as how we will choose Leaders and establish a governing structure.
Our goal is to have a more clearly defined government and membership base, with a clear and fair method for choosing our leaders. Going forward, a more defined structure will empower our leaders when making important decisions and will show unity and strength to those we are negotiating with.

The process is interim, meaning that it is intended to be in place now, but will change as our Nation further develops.

We know that this experience will be a learning experience for all of us and we know it will make us stronger as a Nation.

OUTLINE OF PROCESS FOR MEMBERSHIP CODE AND ELECTION ACT DEVELOPMENT

We have taken various steps to get to this point. A list of these includes involvements with Members and with Outside Parties:

Member Activities

• Governance Survey of Members,
• General Assembly – July 2022
• Newsletters
• Governance Committee – started process in February, 2022

Outside Experts

• Governance Consultants – Ishkonigan
• Conference with Indigenous Experts in Victoria, BC to define Rights of a Treaty Band – December 2022
• Historian – Dr. J Clapperton
• First Nations Governance – meetings and website use – https://fngovernance.org/

Other First Nations

There are now 25+ self governing First Nations. We have examined the experiences, processes and documents of most to see what has worked and what best fits our situation.

NEXT STEPS
We’ve consulted with Members, Experts and other First Nations to get this far. We are now looking to discuss, explain and refine what we have and to get documents ratified. We envision this process:

• Draft Election Act prepared – January 2023
• Draft Membership Code prepared – January 2023
• Drive to collect Declarations and contact information for Members List – February – March
• Communicated (mail and emailed) to membership – February
• Posted to www.chacachas.ca – February
• Membership educational meetings and ratification meeting – March – April
• General Assembly to ratify Membership Code and Election Act – May
• Formalization of Election Act – May

DECLARATION FORMS & UPDATING OF MEMBERS LIST

We are looking to clarify our community membership. To do this we have begun to distribute Declaration Forms to be signed by those who have not signed in the past. The Declaration Forms indicate that the individual intends to transition to the Chacachas Treaty Nation and eventually to give up membership in any other First Nation.

Forms should be signed by those who haven’t Declared in the past. This includes:

• Those now 18+ years of age who have never Declared
• Parents with children under 18 years whom they have not previously Declared for

We will use the signing of Declaration Forms to update our Members List and contact information. Signed forms can be emailed or mailed to our Office Manager, Cynthia Watson.

Membership-and-Governance-Process-Letter-dated-March-17-2023