Page 43 - Six Nations Community Plan 2019

Measuring Progress

• Relationships of mutual trust and understanding with other • Government maintaining their fiduciary responsibilities but
governments and Nations not having so much influence over how funds are used

Key Challenges And Concerns

• Lack of understanding and commitment to the original treaties that outline relationships of mutual respect
• Colonization continues to divide our community through siloed systems
• We are not creating strong relationships with other Indigenous Nations to build each other up
• Because we are so dependent on external governments we are subjected to short-term election cycles. We can lose programs
and funding with the quick decisions of newly elected parties in distant legislatures
• External governments seem content to manage problems instead of creating mutually beneficial relationships
• Community is mixed about participating in external governments – these systems continue to dictate our future in harmful
ways, but without self-determination we need to have our voice heard
• Cycle of dependency – we were made to rely on support which hinders our capacity to decide our own path
• Concern that external governments are degrading our nationhood to the equivalent of a municipality
• The Indian Act is unfair legislation which oppresses us - we want to be free from it, but the community and all nations need to
come together and come up with a real alternative

Discussion

With respect to the specific goal of Self-Determination community members voiced that we need to be able to determine
our own future with strength. We need to partake in Haudenosaunee Nation building through strong relationships with other
communities and welcoming our people home to build strength. Some particular recommended actions that emerged from the
Community Plan conversation that will help us move toward the goal of Self-Determination are:
• Support education initiatives for broader Canadian public to expand knowledge of our issues and treaties
• Training in negotiation for leaders that speak outside the community
• Continue to base advocacy on our original treaties
• Strengthen Community Planning as a community-led vision so that external governments can help us reach our
goals instead of imposing their goals on us
• Organizing or supporting Haudenosaunee processes of inclusive nationhood and land in response to external
government legislation
• Hold external governments accountable to their fiduciary responsibilities based on impacts to our human rights to
food, shelter, water, culture, language and education, while resisting imposed laws and policies
• Clarify and build capacity in Consultation and Accommodation Process to be based on Free, Prior and
Informed Consent

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