DRAFT 3 – CITIZENSHIP LAW, May 13, 2024
Revised May 2023 – DRAFT CITIZENSHIP LAW
August 28, 2020
Attention: TAA/TFN Community Members
The Joint TFN/TAA Council created the Citizenship Committee in 2019. The Citizenship Committee was tasked with drafting a Citizenship Law which establishes who is eligible to be a Teme-Augama Anishnabai citizen. The purposes of the Citizenship Law are to promote Teme-Augama Anishnabai self-determination, address the divisions created by Canada’s arbitrary and discriminatory implementation of the Indian Act, and advance the ongoing negotiations between Temagami and both Ontario and Canada.
The Citizenship Law was created by the Citizenship Committee with assistance from the Joint TFN/TAA Council and advice from legal counsel. In drafting the Citizenship Law, the Citizenship Committee was guided by the traditions and customs of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai and the principles of inclusion and fairness.
The Citizenship Committee is made up of 6 members and assisted by the Executive Assistant for the TAA/TFN Joint Council. The Citizenship Committee met on a monthly basis in order to draft the Citizenship Law. The first meetings involved discussions about the principles of Teme-Augama Anishnabai citizenship and past attempts to create a membership code. Subsequent meetings involved drafting individual sections of the Citizenship Law.
A draft is now being presented to gain the input of community members. Due to the Covid 19 situation we have had to be creative in consulting community members. In addition to providing members with a draft Citizenship Law three short videos are in preparation to further elaborate on the intent and content of the draft Citizenship Law. Once we have received community comments necessary revisions will be made. Hopefully by then we will be able to hold a series of meetings to present a final version to community members.
Please find attached the “draft” TAA Citizenship law as well as a summary explaining the draft citizenship law.
We look forward to receiving your comments. Please forward them to Natasha Fortin at jointadmin@temagamifirstnation.ca.
Members of the Teme-augama Anishnabai Citizenship Committee are the following:
Hugh McKenzie
Raymond Katt
Julian Cote
Kathy Beddows
Laura Irvine
Dwayne Becker
Natasha Fortin
Executive Assistant for TAA/TFN Joint Council
jointadmin@temagamifirstnation.ca
TFN and TAA Joint Councils have been working towards drafting a Teme-Augama Anishnabai Citizenship Law. The objectives here are:
- to set out the guiding principles used to determine who is a Teme-Augama Anishnabai Citizen;
- to establish, maintain and administer the citizenship list, to be known as the Teme-Augama Anishnabai Central Registry;
- to safeguard the continued existence of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai and n’Daki Menan for the benefit of all present and future Teme-Augama Anishnabai Citizens; and
- to ensure that Teme-Augama Anishnabai Citizens have access to programs and services in an inclusive and equitable manner.
DRAFT – Proposed Citizenship Law
Summary of the TAA Citizenship Law
NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
On May 7 the Joint Council met. During the meeting the draft workplan and budgets for the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada were approved. They will be forwarded to the respective governments for their review. Once that is complete funding will put into place.
The Citizenship Committee has been working diligently over the last several months to develop a draft Citizenship Law. There is going to be an opportunity for extensive community consultation. The draft law will be circulated to members and an information video will be developed. This will be followed up by a series of internet sessions to allow membership to give their thoughts on the draft Citizenship Law and how it may be improved.
The covid-19 pandemic has provided challenges in consulting membership. However, both the Citizenship Committee and Joint Council are creatively looking for methods to consult and receive input from membership as we move forward.
To comment on this Proposed Citizenship Law, please contact:
Natasha Fortin, Executive Assistant for TAA/TFN Joint Council
jointadmin@temagamifirstnation.ca – 705-569-2663
Negotiations 705-569-2663
| Director of Negotiations | don@temagamifirstnation.ca | ||
| Executive Assistant for TFN/TAA Joint Council | Natasha Fortin | jointadmin@temagamifirstnation.ca |