The election of Chief & Council is the single most important Nation Building event of every First Nation. This single event, if undertaken and executed using the best practices of democracy and highest standards of electoral fairness will set the stage for a term of governance and leadership that can be incredibly positive and immensely beneficial to the First Nation. Making sure the electoral processes for Chief & Council elections are properly delivered by independent professionals should be the rule – not the exception.
Anything less is at best a contagion that cripples a community and leadership, and at worst completely decimates a First Nation and sets it back years, if not decades. A Chief & Council election process mired in controversy and poor electoral processes and procedures is a broken democracy and promise unfulfilled to the First Nation members. Typically, the event is perceived as corrupt and manipulated, and plagues the elected leadership with doubt, uncertainty and at the very least a suspect mandate for their full term.
For members there is no greater freedom of expression, nor any truer anchor of democracy than your responsibility to VOTE in this leadership decision for which you have an obligation to contribute to the voice of your First Nation. The very act of casting your ballot legitimizes both you as a member but also that of the institution being represented and ensures that you, your community and your First Nation government enjoy liberty and equality…and that when needed, provides the power to check and adjust the pursuit of these liberties and equalities of Chief & Council according to the virtue and promise of our ancestral voice.
Not VOTING, is a failure to recognize and exercise this critical and essential declared human right, and more tragically turns our back on the very essence and responsibility bestowed upon each member for the benefit and lasting legacy of your First Nation. It throws in a harms way every freedom we hold dear, invites corruption and steadily erodes the very fabric of a free, safe and prosperous First Nation…and ultimately undermines your community and abandons the values and principles of our traditional way of life.
Chief & Council have a responsibility to ensure that proper respect and considerations are in place for the required time, resources and protocols essential for the Chief & Council election processes to be properly executed. Taking the time to understand and respect the laws and regulations governing their First Nation election is key to ensuring every member is fully and properly engaged, and that their VOTE is fairly received and recorded and weighed against the wishes of the whole community. AND once the election process is underway – Chief and Council get out of the way – ensuring a fair and transparent election process free of political interference and influence.
Nothing sets the stage for a First Nation like the election of Chief & Council…make sure your next election of this critical and most esteemed office is conducted with the highest standards and best practices pursuant to and in accordance with the rules governing your First Nation elections. The future of your First Nation will likely depend upon it.
At OneFeather we believe that Nation Building is about transformative change that can only occur when Leadership and Members are able to align their vision for the future. We invite you to use our services and technologies to engage your Members in more useful and powerful ways…including over 20 years experience delivering elections, referendums and ratification votes. We exist to help Chief & Council build a great First Nation!
Let us demonstrate our solutions…we would love to visit your community.
Visit www.onefeather.ca or contact Lawrence Lewis directly at (250) 889-1582.
About Lawrence Lewis
I do a number of things professionally...but most of all and the true purpose of what I do through "my work" is to provide for my family, be a good husband and great father, and try to make a difference as a world citizen...I guess it's not much more complicated than that 🙂