Two years ago I launched Niipaawi Strategies, and started off on this adventure of entrepreneurism. It seems like such a relatively short period of time, but a lot can happen over even a short period of time that can teach us so much. One thing that these first two years has driven home is about how different clients see the same issues from very different perspectives. That has in its own way re-affirmed my views on how this Government relations and advocacy should be approached when addressed Indigenous issues and engaging Indigenous Governments. To put it simply – Indigenous Governments are just that – Government - not stakeholders.
For us at Niipaawi, our view is that Indigenous governments are governments, period, and should be treated as such. Having now worked in the government relations space for over five years, it always struck me as odd that somehow the government relations sector siloed off Indigenous governments and continue to consider and treat them differently than other levels of government. Yes, many do excellent outreach to Indigenous communities, support consultations and “stakeholder engagement” activities when it comes to Indigenous governments. But that is where the recognition ended and that has resulted in an inherent contradiction.
My view has always been that when we say that we offer Government Relations Services for clients, we are speaking about Federal, Provincial, and Indigenous governments. This shouldn’t be a radical statement, yet the status quo would appear to make it so. The fact is that Indigenous governments are governments like any other level of government, with members, citizens, and rights holders and are elected to provide services, and leadership on jurisdictional responsibilities.
Yet still today, we still have other government or private sector actors who pull out the “stakeholder” word and treat Indigenous governments as if they are the same as an industry association, a union, an environmental charity, or a local snowmobile club. If it were ever suggested to treat a provincial or municipal government the same as they would treat the Sunset Trail Riders back home, it would be a scandal. But if the same is done towards a First Nations, Métis or Inuit government, very few bat an eye. And while this is improving, that improvement is painfully slow and long overdue.
When we talk about Reconciliation with Indigenous Nations and we talk about acting on a “Nation to Nation” basis, it is too often used as little more than soaring rhetoric. But those words have meaning, ones that are backed up by history and constitutionally foundational treaties. Treaties are signed between nations, equal parties’ that agree to work together and respect one another. That is something that, by definition, only governments can do. So, if we are truly going to act in that spirit, it only makes sense that our industry and through us, our clients, treat all treaty partners as the governments that they are.
Of course how you engage with an Indigenous government can and should be different than how you engage other governments. But that is no different in that how we engage with a provincial government, it’s not the same as when we do with the federal one. Even between provinces, engaging a province like Ontario is very different than engaging with a province like New Brunswick. Yes, there are similarities including taking a respectful and ethical approach that our profession holds dear. But organizationally and culturally, all governments have their own unique quirks that are based on their experiences, needs and circumstances. The same is true of Indigenous governments from coast to coast to coast.
As a country, Canada can take pride in some of the progress we have made over time, but we can’t forget that any progress was hard won. It was forged by people not only stepping up to do better, but also allies and neighbours reaching out and supporting people taking that risk. Throughout the business community, we have seen more people taking that risk, supporting Indigenous governments and learning from them. Those companies who have embrace building strong, respectful relationships with Indigenous governments have not only helped to set the example, they have also shown others in the business community just how positive the results of that work can be.
So for me, it seems like a very obvious step for leaders in industry and governments to recognize reality and act according. Indigenous governments are governments, period, and should be engaged with as such. Those who do will show their commitment to true Reconciliation and build stronger relationships as a result. We are proud to work with those who take that approach, and we hope that others will follow this path.
