Wel’te’tmɨkewey: The Process of Coming to Agreement

What is Ratification?

The Made-in-Nova Scotia Process has been established for the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia to sit down together to discuss and work out how our Mi’kmaq Rights will be carried out. Although the Supreme Court of Canada has said that the Mi’kmaq do have Rights, they have never clearly said what these Rights are. The Negotiation Team that represents the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia cannot say whether to accept an issue or not. The Assembly also cannot make this decision. All the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq have to decide if they accept the issue or not. When the Mi’kmaq Negotiation Team feels that they have finally determined how an issue (for example, fisheries, forestry, etc.) should be carried out, they will take the agreement or issue to a vote. What we call this voting process is a ratification vote, where every single Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw will cast a vote “yes” or “no” if they support the issue or agreement. It is a process similar to a referendum. The outcome of these votes will inform the Assembly on how the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia wants to proceed.

Before any issues are ready to be voted on, we need a process outlying how a vote will occur. In 2013, the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs (Assembly) hired a Policy Analyst to do research on a process of Ratification. This research, led by Zabrina Whitman, is focussing on the development of this voting process. This procedure allows people to participate directly in the decision making process by voting on a particular concern or question. Since the Made-In-Nova Scotia Process is a community driven approach, your involvement is essential to the Chiefs.

The Assembly and the Negotiation Team feel that your opinion and involvement is very important to their work. To help the Assembly with the creation of this voting/ decision-making process, they are asking if you would to volunteer to complete this survey.

Your name and contact information is only required if you would like your name submitted in the draw for a prize.

Your personal information will be detached from the survey and after the draw is complete, your personal information will be destroyed. How each participant responds to the questions will remain anonymous.