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Rama votes for new land code, opts to move away from Indian Act

Vote provides 'firm foundation' for future generations, councillor says
2018-02-18 ted williams votes.jpg
Rama First Nation Councillor Ted Williams casts his ballot in Saturday's all-day referendum on the Rama Land Code, which passed with a 90% majority of votes cast. Supplied photo

Rama First Nations members voted overwhelmingly in favour of adopting the Rama Land Code Saturday.

Of the 561 people who cast a ballot in the one-day referendum, advance poll and online, 508 voted in favour of the Rama Land Code, which allows the First Nation community east of Orillia independence from the Indian Act when it comes to land management issues.

“To have over 90% approval is fantastic,” Rama Coun. Ted Williams told OrilliaMatters Sunday. “The nice thing is the community obviously felt very comfortable with (the decision).”

Williams and his fellow councillors, in addition to Chief Rodney Noganosh, were all in favour of adopting the Rama Land Code, which allows Rama to opt out of dozens of sections of the Indian Act related to land management.

“The Rama Land Code will allow us to have jurisdiction over our own land, allow us to protect our heritage, to provide better opportunities for economic development and community development … it’s just good governance,” Williams said in advance of the vote. “It also includes provisions for environmental protection, but the big change is we’re in control. It’s our land.”

A similar campaign in 2013 was not successful. At that time, a majority of those who cast ballots voted in favour of the land code, but not enough residents voted to enshrine the results; more than 25% of eligible voters had to vote yes for the decision to be ratified. Williams said education was key to success this time around.

“We had a team that worked well together and had a good campaign strategy to get the information out,” Williams said. “There was a lot of information presented, a lot of opportunity to get information and a lot of opportunity to receive feedback … it worked out good.”

Williams said it will take some time to see the results of the vote begin to shape Rama. “It’s not something that will happen overnight,” he said. “It will take some time to put it together. Any time you involve the community, you can’t rush and there’s no reason to rush.”

He said the chief and council will meet with staff and “embark on how to develop plans and move forward. It’s a community-driven process,” Williams said.

While it may take some time, Williams is confident the decision will have a big impact on the community. “It will create immediate opportunities because we need to hire extra staff over the next couple of months,” he said. “I think it will mean more opportunity for us from a community development standpoint and, in the long term, our younger folk will have a firm foundation to continue to move forward and be progressive. That’s exciting.”

In the past, any land issue had to be handled by federal officials in compliance with the Indian Act. “For example, when we have a lease issue, we have to send things off to the bureaucrats and we wait two, three, seven months for them to send it back,” Williams explained. “Not anymore.”

Williams said he and his elected colleagues will work hard to ensure the community is involved in the process. “The community showed a considerable amount of faith in us and we have to uphold that by doing the right things,” he said. “We’re one of the most successful First Nations in the country and there’s reasons for that. This will allow us to continue to be a progressive and proud community.”

Rama now joins more than 90 other First Nations who have opted to break away from the Indian Act as it relates to land issues.


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Dave Dawson

About the Author: Dave Dawson

Dave Dawson is community editor of OrilliaMatters.com
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