Demonstrators have arrived on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to rally against proposed legislation to change how Native bands are governed. The First Nations Governance Act was proposed ostensibly to clarify the legal status of Indian groups and ‘improve’ how they are governed. The legislation will give Native communities bylaw-making powers, improve financial accountability, increase jobs, encourage investment, and require draft election codes and hiring rules. However, critics say First Nations leaders were not given enough say in drafting these changes, and further claim they could illegally infringe on aboriginal rights to self-government. The bill will not be voted on for several weeks.
