Commentaire 223 – commentaires et rétroaction

Dr. Dan Duckert, Director of Research, Treaties, Lands, and Resources, Keewaytinook Okimakanak Tribal Council

Thank you for the opportunity to provide input into the electoral redistricting plan.

As a northerner, who works with, and for the First Nations in the Far North region of Ontario, I am concerned about the reduced representation of the north. I understand but disagree with the idea of representation based on population.

First of all, we must realize that most of the people in the proposed Kiiwetinoong – Mushkegowok district are First Nations. These first Nations make up Cree, OjiCree, and Ojibway people. While these groups have deep connections with their territories, they cannot be represented as one voice. Their views on land use and culture are distinct from each other.

Secondly, these traditional homelands are vast in their resources and are being viewed as a great benefit to Ontario and Canada for economic opportunities. As we move forward with reconciliation, the north will need stronger and more voices in government. Decision-making about homelands should come from people connected to their homelands.

I believe we need to be creative and think deeper about what true representation means in government. Perhaps representation formulae could be based on a combination of population, size of the territory, and it's per capita economic contribution.

Dan

Dr. Dan Duckert Director of Research, Treaties, Lands, and Resources Keewaytinook Okimakanak Tribal Council