Fill vacant Indigenous seats on Federal Council by a vote as per the constitution
- Introductory Statement
- Federal Council was directed by the last AGM to open 3 seats for election for Inuit, Metis and First Nations. NO election has been called.
- Emergency Motion Statement
- Emergency Motion: AGM 2024- The members of the GPC call on Federal Council to immediately open elections for a First Nations Representative, an Inuit representative, and a Métis representative to bring the GPC Federal Council into compliance with the Constitution. 2.1.5.3 In odd numbered years the representatives of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta, the representative from the Territories, the First Nations representative, the President and the Vice President French shall be elected. 2.1.5.4 In even numbered years the representatives of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Vice President English, the Inuit representative, the Métis representative, and the Fund Representative shall be elected.
- Type of Emergency Motion
- A directive to ask the party’s Federal Council to consider an action
- Benefit
- This will allow our indigenous Green Party members an opportunity to be heard at the highest levels
- Who does this motion impact?
- Every one, both within and without the party.
- Impact on exisiting GPC policy.
- Not applicable (e.g., directive to council, constitutional amendment)
- Green Values
-
Social JusticeRespect for DiversityParticipatory Democracy
- Supporting Evidence
- Jurisdiction: Is this proposal under federal jurisdiction?
- Unsure or Not applicable (e.g. directives and constitutional changes)
- Please indicate the language the proposal is being submitted in.
- English
This proposal has been accepted because:
82% voted in favour of adopting this motion.
94.7% voted in favor of adopting this motion in the post-GM all member (ratification) vote. The Policy Development Process Committee transferred accountability for the Emergency Motion “To fill the vacant Indigenous seats on Federal Council by a vote as per the constitution” to Federal Council and the Governance Committee on Wednesday June 26, 2024.
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Conversation with Mr. Samuel Moisan-Domm
I'll sum this up. The Indigenous Peoples Advisory Circle (IPAC) had some founding members, some of whom had put forward a motion to have 3 indigenous representatives on Federal Council, which was approved at the 2022 General Meeting and by an all member vote. At that time, IPAC wanted to develop a vetting procedure, which they did, but it was never officially adopted by Federal Council due to postponing the election a few times. Later on, some resigned from IPAC or were not invited to IPAC meetings... it's confusing. In any case, this changed the composition of IPAC and, as it stands, this "new" IPAC does NOT want indigenous representatives on Federal Council at all, even if that contradicts the GPC constitution. The core argument from this "new" IPAC is that including indigenous representatives on Federal Council would be colonial (indigenous members should not be part of colonial governance like Federal Council). Thus, Federal Council sided with this view and decided that there would be no election of indigenous representatives on Federal Council, even though respected indigenous members like Bruce Weaver, Krystal Brooks and Lorraine Rekmans think there should be indigenous representatives on Federal Council as per our Constitution.
As for most issues in the GPC, we may share the same values but our interpretations may differ on how to implement it. Needless to say, I think it's a good thing that ultimately GPC members at a General Meeting will have a say on this. Do we consider electing indigenous representatives on Federal Council to be colonial or not? Do we want to respect our constitution or ignore it? (And, rather than ignoring it, it should be amended then.)
Thank you for this summary. I joined GPC , knowing it was a colonlal construct. If we, indigenous people, aare going to have a vooice in politics then it has to be within a colonial frame. W IPAC can meet in circle and share leadership as it chooses but FC is bound by a constitution. IF SIPAC had wished to change , where are teh amendments? Would defeating my motion mean no action until 2026 and teh next AGM?
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