Rebuilding Indigenous Governance Structures

I love supporting communities like my own, and others I’ve had the privilege to work with, to build governance rooted in who they are, each with its own history, priorities, and ways of governing. I’ve learned that the path to self-sufficiency looks very different for every Nation and government, but it always starts with who they are.

I started my career in community-based training with several First Nation communities in northern Manitoba, working alongside Band and Program Managers in community administration. There, I saw firsthand how many communities, with far fewer resources than federal and provincial governments, had to navigate those systems daily — the very systems that were supposed to help them achieve self-sufficiency.

The training we delivered focused on good governance practices, the policies, systems, and structures that help a community run well and make decisions with confidence. But it always came back to one main question: what does it take to govern a community? The answer never changed: values come first, and self-sufficiency is built on them.

Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate how important it is for me, and for the Nations and communities I’ve worked with, to stay connected to who we are and to understand our history, systems, and values. Colonization has forced many of us, my own Nation included, to work within systems that are not designed for our communities, making it even more important to hold onto who we are. In my experience working alongside different Nations, Nēhiyawak, Ojibwe, Dene, Métis, and others, each community finds its own way forward because of its unique identity, traditions, and strength. Self-sufficiency goes well beyond financial independence or clean audits. It’s about having the authority to make decisions that reflect each community's priorities and ways of knowing and being.

Inside the system

While working with the federal and provincial governments, I saw from the inside how decisions about First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities are often made far away, by people who never live with the results. I also saw what changes when a community has the knowledge, systems, and confidence to lead itself.

I saw this while working with the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, helping design governance structures for Indigenous people living in cities who faced serious social and economic challenges. In the communities I worked with, including my own, many had left their home communities and lost vital supports and connections. In cities, those of us who had relocated faced new challenges and were treated like everyone else by systems that had little understanding of our unique histories or needs. Without an advocate or governance structure and without any voice or role in decisions affecting our lives, building economic security and independence was difficult. Governance gave us, as Indigenous Peoples living in cities, a way to unite around our identity and priorities.

What I also learned is that self-sufficiency and self-government can't be separated. A community that controls its own economy can make its own choices, and strong governance can ensure those choices serve its people well. When communities also understand how governments plan, decide, and negotiate, they can create their own ways to success.

Built by Us, Not for Us

Many communities—including First Nations like my own, as well as Métis and Inuit—work within systems not created by or for them, each facing unique challenges tied to their distinct histories and relationships with those systems. For First Nations, Canada established the Indian Act band system to administer and control. It was never meant to reflect First Nation laws, kinship systems, or how my Pimichikamak ancestors, or those of other First Nations, made decisions together.

While I draw on my own experience as a member of Pimichikamak First Nation and from working with a range of communities, I know each Nation has its own unique context and path. I believe governance designed around each community’s unique identity and values is stronger because that community owns it and has invested all this time creating it, which can lead to more involvement, accountability, and commitment.

Canada itself has acknowledged this. In its 2017 Principles respecting the Government of Canada's relationship with Indigenous peoples, the federal government recognized that "'Indigenous self-government and laws are critical to Canada's future." It also committed to bringing Indigenous perspectives into every part of the relationship, and to ending colonialism's legacy in its laws and policies. These commitments matter, but they need to be matched with resources. What I saw earlier in my career is still true today. Communities are still expected to navigate the same systems as governments with far less, without the investment and resources needed to build their governance structures and develop their own people, skills, and systems.

However, despite having adequate resources, I’ve seen some Nations already doing this work, standing on their own, leading and building economies that support their people, independent of the federal funding cycle. Others are just beginning. Wherever a community is starting from, the path is the same: values first, then building from there.

What it Takes

Every Indigenous community is different, so there is not one approach. Here are some principles that guide my work.

• Start with values and culture.

  Before creating policies, organizational charts, or bylaws, a community needs to clarify its values, vision, and guiding teachings. Governance needs to grow from a place grounded in language, teachings, and Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Elders, Knowledge Keepers, women, and young people should be at the center of that conversation.

• Build strong foundations.

  Self-governance relies on everyday practices like good financial management, accurate record-keeping, well-defined policies, and open reporting to members. These practices let a community stand on its own, make its own decisions, and negotiate from a position of strength. They also depend on skilled people, like Band Managers, Finance Managers, CAOs, and program staff.

• Focus on building capacity, not dependency.

  Good support should leave a community stronger and more able to do the work on its own. This means involving the community members in every stage, not just at the end. It means training staff, mentoring people, and ensuring consultants leave behind tools, templates, and written processes the community can adapt. It also means planning for staff turnover so knowledge and skills don’t leave when someone goes. Governance is ongoing work, and structures need people who understand them well enough to keep them alive, explain them to members, and change them when needed.

• You don’t need a perfect plan to start.

  Building governance can feel overwhelming, especially when communities have fewer resources and staff. This work takes time, and it can change depending on who's in the room and what resources you have. Knowing your values is a good first step. From there, focus on one or two priorities, such as a financial policy or a standard operating procedure for a key program, and build step by step.

How Askiy began

Askiy really began when a local Indigenous organization reached out and asked me if I could help them develop and support their governance structure. I didn’t intend to do consulting full-time, but through my relationships in the community, I began to get invited to take on other small projects. These project requests led to the start of Askiy Advisory Group (formerly Askiy Consulting Inc.) in 2017.

Today, I draw on my experience from my consulting company, my work in federal and provincial government, and my early career with First Nations and Métis people in Manitoba to help communities and Indigenous organizations create governance that is truly their own and supports their independence. I have been on both sides of the table and have seen firsthand the challenges many Indigenous communities face. The workload and responsibilities are huge, while funding is small, often arrives late, and comes with conditions.

These experiences gave me something that has guided my work ever since. In my Cree family, and where I come from, we are taught that when we receive, we should give back. Reciprocity and leaving communities stronger than we found them should always be at the heart of working with Indigenous communities. When communities lead with their values and have what they need to build on them, they become strong, self-governing Nations and governments, building the future on their own terms.

If your community is thinking about strengthening its governance, reviewing its administration, or building structures that sincerely reflect who you are, I would be happy to talk.

Donna Hovsepian is a member of Pimichikamak First Nation (Cross Lake) and the founder and director of Askiy Advisory Group Inc.