In the letter, the Chief announced a referendum was planned for April 6, 2001, at the Chapleau Cree First Nation. The referendum would accept or reject the draft as the valid highest document in our First Nation.
The consultation session was held as scheduled, and ended at roughly 4:00 p.m.
The attending Chapleau Cree membership discussed the Version 4 of the Draft CCFN Constitution. Several concerns were identified.
It became clear that the draft would still require revision to be acceptable to the membership. The consensus of members at the
February 27th session was that a group of six CCFN members be formed to further the development of the CCFN Constitution. This committee is called the ‘CCFN constitutional working group.’
To assist us, the Chief called for a Constitutional Workshop,scheduled for March 16, from 9:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m, facilitated by Don Jackson, Constitutional Theorist, from Algoma University College. The Session was held as planned, and five of the six members attended (one was absent due to a funeral.)
During that session, the group learned about constitutions, the role we would play, and the method to analyse and suggest improvements to the draft. The caution from Professor Jackson, was not to rush the process, because a constitution was something in which the people must 'recognize themselves.' The tone was also reflected by Elder Reg Fletcher, who emphasized that we must be able to 'feel' ourselves in its words.
The group reviewed and agreed to a mandate, an action plan, and a letter to members announcing an extension for member input. All three documents were prepared for distibution, with the hope that the package would be mailed by the 18 of March.
We are sorry , at this time, that we have not been able to deliver this package as of yet. According to a letter we received from the Chief, the letter and mandate must be approved through a BCR (Band Council Resolution.) We expect that this BCR will be passed at the next council session, on Tuesday, March 27, 2001.
Update: April 2, 2001 - Our working group mandate runs our on April 21, 2001, because an election was called.Band nominations are scheduled for April 21, 2001. Band Elections for Chief and Council are scheduled for May 26, 2001. .
| All Links to the CCFN Constitution Development
Project are listed on this page...
The March 16, 2001 letter to all members... (Click here)(Now Being revised, by notice from Chief as of March 19,2001 - letter to Committee members) Version 4.1 of the CCFN Constitution. (Click here) A Glossary of Terms for the CCFN Constitution (Click here) The Constitution Working Group Mandate (Click here)(Being revised, by notice from Chief as of March 19,2001 letter to Committee members) The Group's Action Plan (Click here)(Being revised, by notice from Chief as of March 19,2001 letter to Committee members) Member Open Comments on Version 4 (Click here) Other Comments from the Membership A summary of the group session, March 16, 2001 Other
useful references and background information (Click here)
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