Communication of practices important for AGI ranking

Despite allegations of wrong doing with the local school, Paul First Nation chief and council has placed in the top 10 according to the Aboriginal Governance Index (AGI).
“The six main questions we asked may not have captured that issue,” said Joseph Quesnel, senior policy analyst with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. “We’re looking at maybe a longer short survey that will capture more of the issues.”

Another survey change will include more answer options. The Blood Tribe expressed concern that questions which didn’t pertain to their practices didn’t allow a “not applicable” option, but only yes or no answers.

This is the fourth year FCPP has carried out the AGI, which solicits comments from members and administration of First Nations in broad categories that focus on good governance. It’s the second year Alberta First Nations have participated. Last year, O’Chiese First Nation placed first; this year, although the southern Alberta band achieved a higher percentage rating, it slipped to third.

“We had a lot more First Nations from Saskatchewan that did better and that bumped down the others,” said Quesnel.

The highest score at 77.2 per cent went to Ochapowace First Nation in Saskatchewan. Twelve other First Nations received scores of 70 per cent plus. O’Chiese received a score of 76 per cent; Paul a score of 71.2 per cent; and Siksika ranked 13 with a score of 70.2 per cent. In the 2009 AGI, Siksika ranked third.

Despite Siksika’s slip in ranking, Quesnel noted that the southern First Nation is sited by FCPP as examples of good governance practices.

“It’s up to the members how they rank their government. But we’ve told Siksika that maybe some of those practices haven’t been communicated to their members. We encouraged them to do that,” said Quesnel.

O’Chiese band manager Beatrice Carpentier agreed that communication is important.

“We have to improve on our communication to our band members,” she said. “We have to explain to our members a lot more.”

She noted that band council and administration spent most of the past year working on economic development policies to create long term sustainability but that work and intention wasn’t effectively communicated.

Another area Carpentier said the band needs to improve on is training administration and staff so they can fully understand the benefits of planning five to 10 years into the future.

But there are a lot of things her First Nation is doing right.

“We have great team work, our leadership and senior management. We can dream up and make something happen,” she said.

Chief and council do not micromanage, said Carpentier. The elected officials set the policy and allow the administration to carry it out.

One less Alberta First Nation participated in the AGI this year, but Quesnel is still happy with the numbers. Time restrictions and deciding to drop some smaller First Nations from the survey were contributing factors to the lower number.  The four Hobbema Nations and central Alberta First Nations were not included in the survey as time ran out for band approval of the process. Quesnel said next year the time line to carry out the AGI survey will be extended.