How do we create effective self-governance? How do we protect land and water? How do we develop sustainable economies? Learn about effective self-governance and how other First Nations have found answers to these questions. Read More

NCFNG’s recent Emerging Leaders National Forum, hosted by the Squamish Nation, brought together a committed group of young First Nation citizens from across the country for an intense and profoundly moving three-day experience in November. Read More

In January, 2001 Maliseet citizens, Dale Sappier and Clark Polchies were stopped in their truck carrying 16 hardwood logs and were subsequently charged under New Brunswick’s Crown Lands and Forests Act with unlawful possession of, or cutting of Crown timber from Crown lands. The logs had been cut or taken from lands traditionally harvested by the respondents’ First Nations and were harvested to build Clark Polchies house. Read More

There has been an outpouring of support and concern about cuts to the National Centre for First Nations Governance’s (NCFNG) funding and what it means for the development of self sufficient, independent First Nations in Canada. In response, the staff at the Centre will continue to deliver its governance rebuilding services where it can and for as long as it can operate. Read More

Federal government to eliminate funding for the National Centre for First Nations Governance, the only organization in Canada dedicated solely to addressing First Nations governance. Read More

On March 20th, 2012, NCFNG hosted a BC Regional Forum that was attended by members from at least 21 communities from Central BC, Treaty 8 in the Northeast corner of British Columbia, Okanagan Nation and from the Shuswap Nation. The forum took place at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC on the Shuswap Nation territory. Read More

NCFNG in partnership with the Mohawk communities of Akwesasne, Kahnawake and Kanesatake hosted a two day Youth forum in Montreal on Culture Traditions and Effective Governance. With the theme of the forum on language, fifty-one, language dedicated Mohawk emergent leaders, gathered together for language hunting. Read More

What are culturally appropriate ways to meaningfully engage Mi’kmaq people in citizenship discussions? What are the differences between Community Membership and Mi’kmaq citizenship? What are Mi’kmaq citizenship considerations for future generations and what does the future of ratified Mi’kmaq Citizenship law look like in its fullest potential? These are some of the questions that were discussed during a forum successfully co-hosted by the National Centre for First Nations Governance (NCFNG) and the Mi’kmaq Rights Initiative, or Kwilmu'kw Maw-klusuaqn (KMKNO) in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on February 22nd, 2012. Read More

Hereditary Chiefs, Indian Act Chiefs and citizens discuss traditional governance and the impact of the Indian Act on the community and youth. Read More

Since 2009, we’ve been working on an exciting research project to document the success of the Metis Nation of Alberta, which has combined an entrepreneurial spirit with traditional wisdom to create a thriving business and important cultural centre for their people. Read More

The Université du Quebec a Chicoutimi is planning to develop a certificate program in First Nations governance that will equip graduates with a range of skills in management, law, politics, accounting and more. Read More

In partnership with the Urban Aboriginal Strategy in Saskatoon, NCFNG is running a four-month program that is giving urban youth opportunities to learn and lead. The first weekend session, held in the fall of 2011, brought together 15 participants and half a dozen elders and cultural knowledge keepers Read More

Passed in 1876, nine years after Confederation, the Indian Act is a legal fossil that still defines the link between our nations. It has created a relationship that is punitive, restrictive and regulatory. It created a system of councils and reserves accountable, not to their communities or the people who choose them, but to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development — councils with neither the authority nor the resources to act as effective “governments.” And of course, it leaves no space for new ideas or innovations in governance. Read More

On November 29th over 100 delegates attended “a First Nation Strategy for the Ring of Fire”, a two-day forum held in Thunder Bay, Ontario to discuss mining in the Ring of Fire. Hosted by the National Centre for First Nations Governance in partnership with Aroland First Nation, the forum focused on assisting participants to design a roadmap for developing positive government-to-government relationships and engaging in meaningful negotiations with resource companies. Read More

Heiltsuk BC, October 4, 2011 - The Heiltsuk Tribal Council signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Centre for First Nations Governance to formalize a relationship that started in 2007. Heiltsuk is embarking on a citizen driven process to develop a constitution, get beyond the Indian Act and implement more independent governance. The signing paves the way for the Centre to deliver multi-year support as the Heiltsuk Tribal Council prepares for nation rebuilding that will be based on extensive community consultation. Read More

In order to enhance the efficiency of their board, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Nishnawbe Aski Harvesting Authority (NAHA) invited the National Centre for First Nations Governance to partner on an ongoing board governance training project. Read More

The National Centre for First Nations Governance NCFNG was invited by the Conseil de la nation Atikamekw Sipi to present a two-day introduction to constitutions workshop. An important element to this government is to make sure to have its own constitution reflecting the values and aspirations of their members Read More

This summer, over 40 youth, elders, community leaders and members from the Membertou First Nation came together with a common goal of reconnecting to their traditional territories and building the capacity of young leaders. Read More

For the second year in a row, NCFNG BC Region was proud to host an Intern from the Aboriginal Youth Internship with the British Columbia Public Service. Additionally, the region hosted a work placement through the Native Education College. Read More

March 2012 | NCFNG Quebec Region Assists Wemotaci Youth Council

March, 2011 | Heiltsuk Nation: Building Momentum and Sharing their Success

March, 2011 | Making First Nation Law: The Listuguj Mi’Gmaq Fishery

March, 2011 | Muskeg Lake Cree Nation: Cree Law Gathering

March, 2011 | What Does Reconciliation Look Like in Ontario?

December, 2010 | Treaty Eight Nations Collaborate on Action Plan

October, 2010 | Seven Steps to Rebuilding First Nations

October, 2010 | Chief and Council to be Trained Via Web Conferencing

October, 2010 | NCFNG Quebec Office Optimistic about Rise of Young Leaders

July, 2010 | AFN National Assembly Trade Show

June, 2010 | First Nations from Atlantic Canada Talk about Territorial Rights

June, 2010 | Prairie Nations Discuss Governance of their Traditional Territories

March, 2010 | Wegimaawadizid “Our Way of Governance”

March, 2010 | “Making the Indian Act irrelevant”

March, 2010 | A Community Vision for the Algonquin First Nation

March, 2010 | Heiltsuk Nation Examines the Crown’s Duty to Consult and Accommodate

February, 2010 | Cultural Values in their Work

February, 2010 | Treaty 8 First Nations Explore Constitution Development

November, 2009 | Stories of Excellence Among Atlantic First Nations

October, 2009 | It Takes a Village to Raise a Child

October, 2009 | Muskeg Lake Cree Nation: Focus on People and Governance

July, 2009 | Certifying First Nation Administrators

July, 2009 | “Let’s take it on”

July, 2009 | Tsawwassen: Where Two Worlds can Co-Exist

May, 2009 | Shuswap Communities Explore Governance Together

May, 2009 | Implementing Traditional Governance

May, 2009 | First Nations Look Beyond the Indian Act

April, 2009 | Celebrating the Tsawwassen Treaty

March, 2009 | A New Toolkit for Rebuilding First Nations

March, 2009 | MOU with Thompson Rivers University

February, 2009 | Custom Election Code Workshop - Alderville First Nation

February, 2009 | Elders and Knowledge Keepers Gather in Winnipeg

July 2008 | NCFNG Delivers a Culture in Action Youth Exchange

| Centre Research Defines the Landscape

July, 2008 | Prairie Region Think Tank

June, 2008 | Eskasoni’s High School Students Discuss Governance

June, 2008 | Advancing Professional Certification

May, 2008 | Centre Signs Agreement with University of Alberta

June, 2008 | BC and Yukon treaty nations gather to discuss implementation

January 2008 | NCFNG and UVIC Announce Two New Courses

January, 2008 | Algonquin Nation State Their Rights

March, 2009 | Ontario Aboriginal Inherent Rights/Youth Forum

January, 2008 | Saskatchewan First Nations Welcome NCFNG

December, 2007 | Delgamuukw: Ten Years Later

October, 2007 | In Memory of Frank

September, 2007 | Assessing Governance Capacity

October, 2010

July, 2010 | Essentials of First Nations Governance

October, 2010 | Law and Policy Essential to Nation Rebuilding

July, 2010 | Educating Emerging Leaders to Create Effective Governance