Collaborative Consent and Revitalizing Indigenous Laws ... · revitalization of Indigenous laws....
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1 About the Series Hosted by the POLIS Water Sustainability Project at the Centre for Global Studies, University of Victoria, Creating a Blue Dialogue brings together expert water practitioners and thinkers, as well as emerging water leaders, to engage with innovative ideas on water policy and governance in Canada. By creating an online community of interest, the webinar series strengthens the national capacity to engage with and solve problems, and raises awareness about emerging Canadian water issues, best practices, and policies. Creating a Blue Dialogue Webinar Summary January 15th, 2018 Collaborative Consent and Revitalizing Indigenous Laws: Pathways to Indigenous Water Governance and Co-Governance Attendance Approximately 175 participants, including First Nations, federal, provincial, and local government staff; students and researchers; private sector professionals; environmental NGOs. Introduction In recent years, governments at all levels in Canada have stated their commitments to reconciliation and building nation-to-nation approaches with Indigenous Peoples. Both the federal and B.C. governments have committed to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Fresh water offers an important opportunity around which to start building these new relationships and consent-based governance approaches. Research demonstrates that co-governance between Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments is a winning condition for watershed governance in B.C. However, key questions about how to realize co- governance persist, such as: How can governments share authority and work together in practice when there may be overlapping responsibilities, contested control, conflicting values, and differing legal systems? Beyond co-governance, Indigenous nations are engaging in a broad range of diverse water governance strategies. Numerous potential pathways exist for nations to actively engage in water governance, including revitalization of Indigenous water laws. In this webinar, Rosie Simms (POLIS Water Sustainability Project), Michael Miltenberger (North Raven), and Simon Owen (Indigenous Law Research Unit, University of Victoria) shared ideas on two pathways towards Indigenous water governance and co-governance approaches: collaborative consent and revitalization of Indigenous laws. Guest Speakers Rosie Simms is a water law/policy researcher and project manager at the Unviersity of Victoria’s POLIS Water Sustainability Project. Her work has taken her from Panama to the Canadian Arctic and focuses on water governance, resource management, and Indigenous governance and rights. Michael Miltenberger is the principal of North Raven. He works with Aboriginal and Crown governments, ENGOs, industry, and the private sector providing strategic political advice. He spent 20 years as an MLA in the Northwest Territories Legislature.
Transcript of Collaborative Consent and Revitalizing Indigenous Laws ... · revitalization of Indigenous laws....
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AbouttheSeriesHostedbythePOLISWaterSustainabilityProjectattheCentreforGlobalStudies,UniversityofVictoria,CreatingaBlueDialoguebringstogetherexpertwaterpractitionersandthinkers,aswellasemergingwaterleaders,toengagewithinnovativeideasonwaterpolicyandgovernanceinCanada.Bycreatinganonlinecommunityofinterest,thewebinarseriesstrengthensthenationalcapacitytoengagewithandsolveproblems,andraisesawarenessaboutemergingCanadianwaterissues,bestpractices,andpolicies.
CreatingaBlueDialogueWebinarSummaryJanuary15th,2018
CollaborativeConsentandRevitalizingIndigenousLaws:PathwaystoIndigenousWaterGovernanceandCo-Governance
AttendanceApproximately175participants,includingFirstNations,federal,provincial,andlocalgovernmentstaff;studentsandresearchers;privatesectorprofessionals;environmentalNGOs.IntroductionInrecentyears,governmentsatalllevelsinCanadahavestatedtheircommitmentstoreconciliationandbuildingnation-to-nationapproacheswithIndigenousPeoples.BoththefederalandB.C.governmentshavecommittedtoimplementingtheUnitedNationsDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples(UNDRIP).Freshwateroffersanimportantopportunityaroundwhichtostartbuildingthesenewrelationshipsandconsent-basedgovernanceapproaches.
Researchdemonstratesthatco-governancebetweenIndigenousandnon-IndigenousgovernmentsisawinningconditionforwatershedgovernanceinB.C.However,keyquestionsabouthowtorealizeco-governancepersist,suchas:Howcangovernmentsshareauthorityandworktogetherinpracticewhentheremaybeoverlappingresponsibilities,contestedcontrol,conflictingvalues,anddifferinglegalsystems?
Beyondco-governance,Indigenousnationsareengaginginabroadrangeofdiversewatergovernancestrategies.Numerouspotentialpathwaysexistfornationstoactivelyengageinwatergovernance,includingrevitalizationofIndigenouswaterlaws.
Inthiswebinar,RosieSimms(POLISWaterSustainabilityProject),MichaelMiltenberger(NorthRaven),andSimonOwen(IndigenousLawResearchUnit,UniversityofVictoria)sharedideasontwopathwaystowardsIndigenouswatergovernanceandco-governanceapproaches:collaborativeconsentandrevitalizationofIndigenouslaws.GuestSpeakersRosieSimmsisawaterlaw/policyresearcherandprojectmanagerattheUnviersityofVictoria’sPOLISWaterSustainabilityProject.HerworkhastakenherfromPanamatotheCanadianArcticandfocusesonwatergovernance,resourcemanagement,andIndigenousgovernanceandrights.MichaelMiltenbergeristheprincipalofNorthRaven.HeworkswithAboriginalandCrowngovernments,ENGOs,industry,andtheprivatesectorprovidingstrategicpoliticaladvice.Hespent20yearsasanMLAintheNorthwestTerritoriesLegislature.
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Box1UNDRIPArticle32.2“Statesshallconsultandcooperateingoodfaithwiththeindigenouspeoples’concernedtotheirownrepresentativeinstitutionsinordertoobtaintheirfreeandinformedconsentpriortotheapprovalofanyprojectaffectingtheirland,territoriesandotherresources..."
SimonOwenhaspracticedCanadianlawinseveralIndigenousterritories,mostlyintheareasofcriminaldefenceandIndianActbandgovernance.Now,asaseniorresearcherwiththeUniversityofVictoria’sIndigenousLawResearchUnit,heworkswithcommunitiestorecover,revitalize,andreintegrateIndigenouslegaltraditionstotheirplaceattheheartofsafeandself-governingnations.SimonholdslawdegreesfromtheUniversityofVictoriaandUniversityofBritishColumbia.Part1:CollaborativeConsentandWaterinBritishColumbia:TowardsWatershedCo-GovernanceRosieSimms(POLIS)&MichaelMiltenberger(NorthRaven)BackgroundontheReport“CollaborativeConsentandWaterinBritishColumbia”The2017reportCollaborativeConsentandWaterinBritishColumbia:TowardsWatershedCo-Governancelaysoutaviablemodelforachievingacriticalshifttowardsmoreequitablenation-to-nationrelationshipsbetweenIndigenousandnon-Indigenousgovernments,withaspecificfocusonfreshwatergovernanceinB.C.Thereporttakesadetailedlookatcollaborativeconsent,howitdiffersfromothercollaborativeandpartnershipprocesses,andincludescasestudiesonhowelementsoftheapproachhavebeenusedinB.C.,Canada,andinternationally.ThisreportemergedasajointeffortbetweenthePOLISWaterSustainabilityProjectandtheCentreforEnvironmentalResources(CIER)andbuildsintheauthors’collectivelivedexperiencesworkinginwatershedgovernanceandIndigenousinitiativesinBritishColumbia,theNorthwestTerritories(NWT),andbeyond.Itisimportanttonotethatthisisadiscussionpaperanditisnotintendedtobeprescriptive;differentcommunitieswillchoosehowtheybestmoveforwardinthegovernancespace.CurrentLegal/PoliticalContextandNewApproachestoDecision-MakingThechanginglegalandpoliticalcontextinB.C.andCanadaiscreatingawindowofopportunitytobringaboutnewapproachestodecision-making.Inparticular,bothCanadaand,morerecently,theProvinceofBritishColumbiahaveannouncedtheirsupportandintentiontoimplementtheUnitedNationsDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeople(UNDRIP).Thedeclarationhas46wide-rangingprovisions,includingakeyprovisionrelatedtoconsentandthegovernanceoflandandwater(SeeBox1).ThefederalgovernmenthasalsoacceptedalloftheTruthandReconciliationCommission’sCallstoAction,includingthecallforalllevelsofgovernmenttoadoptandimplementUNDRIPframeworkforreconciliation.ItisaclearlystatedpriorityforgovernmentsatallleveltoadvancedownthepathofreconciliationthroughtheframeworklaidoutbyUNDRIP—andthissetsthestageforafundamentallydifferentapproachtodecision-makingforlandandwater.Collaborativeconsentisproposedasonepathwaytodeliveronthesecommitmentstoaction,withwaterbeingakeyplacewherethisnewapproachcanbeapplied.CollaborativeConsentandItsHallmarksCollaborativeconsentisamutualconsentprocessthroughwhichIndigenousandnon-Indigenousgovernmentscommittoworkingtogetherwiththegoalofachievingeachother’sconsent,whetherthatistodecisions,policies,laws,orplans.Collaborativeconsentdoesnotmeanthatallpartiesareinvolvedineachother'sdecisionsatalltimes,butthattogethertheydecidewherecollaborationisnecessary(ornot).Collaborativeconsentdoesrequirebothpartiestoadjusttheirinstitutions,governanceregimes,andtimelinestocreatesharedspacetodealwithproblemsandsharedconcerns.Sevenhallmarksofcollaborativeconsenthavebeenidentified,drawnfromexamplesofexistingcollaborativeinitiatives:
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1.CollaborativeConsentisfundamentallybasedontrust,respect,anddiplomacybetween
partneringgovernments.Governmentsmusttreateachotherwithmutualrespectaspartnerswithanabilitytoexertjurisdictionwithintheirownsphere.Bothpartiesmustcomewitharealcommitmenttofindingmutuallyacceptableoutcomesandtonotproceedoverthedisagreementoftheirpartners.
2.Allgovernmentsrecognizeeachotheraslegitimateauthorities.Bycomingtothetableandbeing
partofthedecision-makingprocess,eachgovernmentexertstheirauthorityandrecognizesthattheothersholdrelevantjurisdiction,butdonotnecessarilyneedtoagreeaboutthescopeorbasisforthatauthority.Inthisway,theseprocessescanproceedevenifthereareveryfundamentaluncertaintiesandtensionsremaining,suchasuncededterritoryandunresolvedlandtitleandrightclaims.
3.Collaborativeconsenttablesaredecision-makingtables.Representativesfromthegovernments
involvedmusthavetheauthoritytoparticipateandmakedecisionsonthematterathand.ThisrequiresbothCrownandIndigenousnationstogothroughtheirowninternalprocessestodecidewhoshouldsitatthetableontheirbehalfandmakedecisions.
4.Thescopeofissuesthatareunderconsiderationcanbeextensiveandultimatelymustbe
satisfactorytoallparties.Collaborativeconsentcanbeappliedtoanythingfromtheprojectleveltohigher-levellawandpolicydevelopment.Whattheprocesslookslikeandhowitisdesignedwilllookverydifferentdependingontheplace,theissueandthescale.
5.Collaborativeconsentstartsattheveryfrontendofaprocessandallgovernmentscommitto
remainingatthetableforthelonghaul.Collaborativeconsentisanever“over”:itisalong-term,iterative,andon-goingprocessofengagementtorebuildtrustandrelationships.Itrequiresallgovernmentsinvolvedtoremaincommittedtostayingatthetable.Theprocessextendsfromnegotiationthroughtoimplementation.
6.Eachgovernment’sinterestsmustbedealtwithinasatisfactorymannerfromtheirownpointof
view.Allinterestsarevalidandwelcomeatthetable.Nogovernmentcandecideforanyothergovernmentiftheirinteresthasbeenmet:thishastobeself-defined.
7.Theprocessgeneratesrealoutcomes.Collaborationisnotanendinandofitself,butratheraprocess
thatcanactuallyreachameasurableimprovementonthegroundandinthewater.TheNorthwestTerritoriesStoryCollaborativeconsentdidnothappenovernightintheNWT:theco-draftingagreementtookplaceafteryearsofnegotiationbetweengovernments.Theideaforco-draftinglegislationemergedaftertherealizationthatnothingwouldgetdoneiftheIndigenousandterritorialgovernmentsdidnotworktogether.Inordertobuildafoundationoftrustbetweenthegovernments,atablewassetupin2005inordertoco-drafttheSpeciesatRiskActandtheWildlifeAct.AccordingtoMichaelMiltenberger,thereisnolegalreasonwhyco-draftingshouldnottakeplace:theonlyprerequisiteispoliticalwill.CollaborativeConsentApplicationsintheB.C.
Box2KeyPointsaboutCollaborativeConsent
• Itisnotthesameasconsultationandaccommodation
• Itisnotaveto• ItisnotlimitedtotheNWT;
otherplacescandothistoo• Itisnotjustonemeeting–it
involvesongoingengagement
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WaterSustainabilityActAnapplicationofthecollaborativeconsentapproachintheB.C.watergovernancecontextisintheimplementationofB.C.’sWaterSustainabilityAct(WSA).TheWSA,althoughithasmajorflawsincludingthelackofrecognitionofIndigenouswaterrights,providesarealopportunitytobuildnewrelationshipsandapplydifferentapproachesgoingforward.Forexample,collaborativeconsentcanbeusedindevelopingwatersustainabilityplansundertheAct,whichcouldinvolvecreatingaco-chairedmodelfromtheoutset,fromplandevelopmenttoimplementation,withIndigenousnationsbringingtheirlawsandauthoritytothetable.HowDoesCollaborativeConsentHelpUsMeetUNDRIP?
• Itbuildslong-term,ongoinggovernancerelationshipsonafoundationofmutualconsent.• ItengageswithIndigenousnationsthroughtheirownrepresentativeinstitutions.• ItensuresIndigenousnationsareactivelyinvolvedindetermininganddevelopingprioritiesand
strategiesforlandsandwaterswithintheirterritories.• ItcanhelpIndigenousgovernmentsandpublicgovernmentsworktogethertomapoutaway
forwardincriticalenvironmentalandsocialissues.Formoreinformation,pleaserefertothereportCollaborativeConsentandWaterinBritishColumbia:TowardsWatershedCo-Governance(POLIS/CIER,2017)availableathttps://poliswaterproject.org/polis-research-publication/collaborative-consent-water-british-columbia-towards-watershed-co-governance/Part2:WaterLaws:LessonsfromIndigenousandColonialStewardshipSimonOwen(IndigenousLawResearchUnit)RevitalizingIndigenouslawsandlegaltraditionsisanimportantpartofpost-colonialwatergovernance.Indigenouslegaltraditionsaredeeplygrounded,reasonedwaysofmanagingtheneedsofhumancommunitieswithinspecificterritories,includingrelationsbetweenhumanandnon-humanbeingsandwiththelanditself.TheIndigenousLawResearchUnit(ILRU)andEnvironmentalLawCentre,bothbasedintheUniversityofVictoria’sFacultyofLaw,areworkingwithcommunitiesinthreeBritishColumbiawatershedstoarticulateprinciplesandprocessesregardinghowwaterisgovernedandmanagedwithinIndigenous,aswellascolonial,legaltraditions.Indigenouswaterlaws,authoritativeandadaptabletochangingcircumstances,areimportanttoupholdintheirownright,andinaninter-societalcontext,alsorespondtothelimitationsandthepossibilitiesoftheWaterSustainabilityAct.IndigenouscommunitypartnersinthisprojectaretheLowerSimilkameenIndianBand,CowichanTribes,andTsilhqot'inNationalGovernment.CommonMythsaboutIndigenousLaw
• Indigenoussocietiesaslawless.Contrarytocontinuingcolonialliesaboutterranullius,Indigenoussocietieshavealwayshad,andcontinuetohave,sophisticated,intellectuallyreasoned,reasonable,coherent,andauthoritativewaysofmanagingneedsandrespondingtoproblems.Thesearelaw.
• Indigenouslawsascustom.Customisanelementineverylegaltradition,includingcoloniallegaltraditions,butlawsarealwaysmorethanjustcustom.Indigenouslegalordersincludediversesources,resources,andmethodsoflegitimization.
• Indigenouslawassacred.Again,conceptsofthesacredareobservableinalllegaltraditions,buttoconceiveofIndigenouslawsas‘just’sacredistoperpetuatethecolonialfreezingoflaw.Toeffectivelyrespondtocontemporarychallenges,Indigenouslawsincludedebateanddissent,andcontinuetoadaptandchangeacrosstime.
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• Indigenouslawasasinglelegaltradition.Indigenouslegalordersarediverseanddistinct,engagingwithuniversalhumanissuesinparticularwaysthroughtheapplicationofprinciplesandpracticesthataregroundedinspecificterritoriesandhumancommunities.
WhatareIndigenousLaws?
1. IndigenouslawsaslegaltraditionsIndigenouslawsaremorethanjustrulesandpractices.Legaltraditionsconcernthenatureoflaw,itsorganization,anditsroleinsociety.
2. Indigenouslawsaslaw
Indigenouslawsarebothdiverseareadaptable.Lawiscomplexandimperfect,andrequirescontinualpublicengagement,deliberation,anddissent.
3. Indigenouslawsasvital
Indigenouslawsmaynotbefullyintact,visible,orevenfunctioningtoday,butcanberecoveredandrevitalizedevenaftertheimmenselossanddamagetheyhavesufferedinthecolonialperiod.
ManyresourcesexistforIndigenouslawsresearch,including(butnotlimitedto)Elders,knowledgekeepers,personalmemoriesanddirectexperiences;stories,ceremonies,narratives,songs,practices,rituals,customsandconventions;dreams,dances,art,land,nature,artefacts,petroglyphs,scrolls;Oralhistoriesandcollectivelyownedoralhistoriesbyfamilies,clans,andsociety;language,historicaldescriptiveaccountsbyoutsiders;witnesstestimony,trialtranscripts;publishedanthropologicalandhistoricalresearch;writtenworksbycommunitymembers:poems,fiction,stories,andlegends;andpublishedcollectionsofstories.TheILRUmethodologyanalyzesoralhistoriesandnarrativeswithinspecificIndigenouslegaltraditionstobuildpreliminaryframeworksoflawthatrespondtospecificresearchquestions.Thisworksupportsmoreinformedconversationswithcommunitymemberstodeepenthelegalknowledgeandunderstandingsthatresultinfinalresearchproducts,includinganalyses,casebooks,andglossariesofIndigenouslegalterms.PhasesofILRUResearchProjectsAllILRUresearchisdoneattheinvitationofIndigenouscommunitiesPhase1:EngagewithcommunitiestoidentifyresearchgoalsandspecificquestionsPhase2:BringresearchquestionstotextualmaterialstodeveloppreliminaryframeworkandanalysisPhase3:CarryoutcommunityfocusgroupstocreateanintegratedframeworkandanalysisPhase4:CommunityconsultationandvalidationofanalysisPhase5:Implementation,application,andcriticalevaluationQuestion&AnswerPeriodNOTE:Merrell-AnnPhare,anotherco-authorofthereport“CollaborativeConsentandWaterinBritishColumbia,”providedadditionalthoughtsduringthequestionandanswerperiodviathewebinarchatbox.Hercommentsareincludedbelow.Howcanstewardshipgroupswhodon'thaveanyauthoritybutwhoareworkingonwatersupporttheimplementationofthisconceptandbuildmeaningfulpartnershipswithFirstNations?RosieSimms:FirstNationsshouldbeincludedattheveryoutsetofanycollaborativeprocessandhelpshapethedesign,guidingpriorities,andprinciples.Itisessentialfornon-IndigenouswatershedorganizationsandgovernmentstomakemeaningfulefforttounderstandFirstNation’srights,historyin
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thewatershed,andcurrentactivities/andinterests.ItisimportanttotrytounderstandthegoalsoftheIndigenousnationsinvolvedandhowtheymightbenefitthroughtheirparticipationinthatcollaborativeinitiative.Thereneedstobeflexibilityinthedesigntoaccommodatethenation’sneedsandpriorities,andconsiderationgiventocapacityandsupportneededforthenation’sparticipation.Whatistheroleoftraditionalgovernancestructures,whicharenotrecognized,andtheissuethatCrowngovernmentstendtoonlyengagewiththebodiesandtheleadersthattheyrecognizeandfund?MichaelMiltenberger:Changeiscoming.MinisterWilson-RaybouldhasinfactputforwardachallengetoIndigenousgovernmentstoself-organize.WhileIndigenousgovernmentsdidnotcreatethesystemsthatarecurrentlyinplaceacrossthelandorthestructuresofgovernance,theyarenowbeingaskedtohelpsolvethatproblem.TheopportunityiscomingtoFirstNationsandthatdiscussionisgoingtogetresolvedinthecomingyearsaswebuildoffofthesupportandtheopportunitycreatedbythenation-to-nationimplementationofUNDRIP.Merrell-AnnPhare:Inmyview,oneofthegreatestnegativelegaciesofcolonizationisthefracturingofIndigenousNationhoodwherethathashappened.AgreatchallengefacingIndigenousNationsisorganizingthemselvestobeabletocollaborateingovernanceasweareproposing.TheTruthandReconciliationCommissionsuggestedtheremightbe50to60nationsinCanadaatthetimeofcolonization,buthowthatlookstodayissomethingIndigenousNationsmustdefine.Ithinkthegreatestneedisfortieredsystems,thatcanworkwithpublicgovernments.Whogetstherevenuesforcollaborative“resource”management?Merrell-AnnPhare:IntheNWT,thepublicandIndigenousgovernmentsnegotiatedaregional(territory-wide)resourcerevenuesharingagreement,whererevenuesaresharedinadditiontowhateverbenefitsmayflowtoalocalnationfurthertoanImpactandBenefitAgreement,forexample.Whatwerethekeyunderstandingsreachedinthefour-yearprocessthatfacilitatedtheNWTagreement?Merrell-AnnPhare:Thekeyunderstandingswere:
• Theimportanceoftraditionalknowledgeasakeypartnertoscienceinassessingandmakingdecisions.
• Theendgoalfortheuseofwaterbyhumans(thatitmustremaincleanandproductiveforalluses—forexample,human,fish,wildlife—foralltimes).
• Thatthecommitmentsinthelandclaimstowatermustbeabletobemetunderthewaterstrategyandthebilateralwateragreements.Thefour-yearprocesscreatedthedrivingvisionforthenegotiations,andsetthecollectivevisionfortheNWTuseofwater,pluscreatedtherelationshipsnecessaryforwatergovernanceintheNWT.
Whogetscalledwhenpeopledonotcomplywiththeagreements?Merrell-AnnPhare:Attheon-the-groundIndigenousnation,local,ormunicipallevel,servicesagreementscanaddresssharedservicesincludingwater,waste,fire,andpolicing.Assumingtheywanttoworkcollaboratively,asgovernments.Collaborativegovernancetablescouldbeusedtodeterminethis.IntheNWT,whodecideswhatarethetenetsofIndigenousscienceandknowledge?Merrell-AnnPhare:ThetraditionalknowledgetenetsarebeingcreatedbytheIndigenousgovernmentsthatworkwithGovernmentoftheNWTorthatsitonthecommitteesthatmanagethetransboundaryagreements.
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OtherDiscussionCommentsandThemes• Co-governanceandcollaborativeconsenteffortsneedtobefunded:thereisaninherentneedforfundingofresearchandcommunitydevelopment,aswellasfundingtoincreaselocalcapacitywithinIndigenouscommunities.
• Indigenouspeoples’governancemodelshavebeenimpactedinter-generationallyandneedreinvestmentaswellasrevitalization.
• Politicalwillisaprerequisiteforaco-governanceapproach.• Attentionshouldbepaidtorurallocalitieswithregardstowaterissues.• SolutionstowaterissuesmustbeinformedbyIndigenouscultureandknowledge.• Cleanwaterandcleanairmustbethefirstpriorityinallnegotiations.
InterestedinMoreWebinars?ToviewpastCreatingaBlueDialoguewebinarsvisitwww.youtube.com/POLISWaterProject.Previoustopicsinclude“AboriginalCo-GovernanceofWaterandWatersheds,”and“EnvironmentalFlowsandHealthyWatersheds:TowardsProtectioninCanadaandB.C.”
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