Election, Gouvernance Traditionelle et Droits Fondamentaux Chez les Peuples Autochtones du Canada
![handle is hein.journals/mcgil49 and id is 405 raw text is: Election, gouvernance traditionnelle et
droits fondamentaux chez les peuples
autochtones du Canada
Ghislain Otis'
L'auteur s'attache dans cet article A 6valuer dasts queule
remore ]a gouvemance des cosmunautids autochtones doit, I l'heuie
ob il est plus que jamais question d'atouonic gouvemmentale, se
conjuguer avec le modle stadque de dmocratie 6lectorale dont les
autorind ffddrales ot assord tne large diffusion dam les
communauts rd es par In Loi sur Mts lndiens. L'article vise aussi ht
faire derrniner l'incidence de ]a Charte canadteane des droirT et
libertds dans In qure de solutions de reehange I l'ilection instpir s
des coutntms et des pratiques traditiotneltes de gouvernaure
autoosione. L'auteur send compte do processus graduel par lequel
lltat canadien a refos leas intitutions ancestrales de
commadenent des colltrvilautocshtones por Ias remplacer,
onnfassent aux pouvoirs prtvus par la Loi s t let hnws, par les
macanismes lecMtiaux caiqus sur t mndfle de Westminster Mne
lea modes dii scoaluriersv de dsignaftos des ditigeants, validis par la
Loist ur as Indiens, isaeat pemqu'taiverselemnt t la logique
6e-torale de typo faique.
Or, on examena atlentif ds effets do V'61ecrion h la
Westrssistsr sur la vie politiqse e dfmocradque des communauts
ne pemet pas toujoors de conclte qse la promense d'ta
goovecoement juste et tegitime a 61A tonorfe. Hne critique
coavaincante dt modHle 6lectural iatique fail sessoatir It fort
potentiol de lfgiistf dmoctatique qu ree&tot encore certaincs
traditions gouvemeasatales autocbtones h caractrr consualiste,
soavent plus respectueuses des rdalitts sociologiques e familiales
observables dan Its conmunaut6s. L'auter dtmontre qua le cadre
juridique actuel, ainsi quo Ies r6fa'rnes Idgislalives envisagles,
peaeraient A un grand nornbre de romssnautis de s doter
d'insttutsio coaussahe rniolx adapLes A te culture
dttuocratique In fois singulibr-me autochote et tnndene. II fai
touefois ressonir l'obligation pour In cotume antochtoie de se
conformer l]a CIharre canadienne des droits ce liberts tout en
faisaui valoir qua cette derikrne at fora pas substantielltmen
obstacle A. Ia volon des comrosaw s de enouveler leor
gouvemanco ctocratique It patir d'une lecture ronteeporams de
in tradition.
In tdim article, the author seeks to detenrniae to what extent the
governance of Aboriginal cornusrmites should be combined with the
state model of democratic elections, which federal authorities have
ensured is distributed widely through those Aboriginal rommunides
subject to the Mnian Ac. Tins questioa is all the more ituportant
given thal the issue of self-govemnment, now mor than ever, looms
large on the horizon. The author also attempts to gauge the impact of
the Canadian Otarter of Rights and Freedomr on electoral reform
initiatives that seek to integrate the customsn and traditional prctices
of Aboriginal governance. The author gives an acount of the
gradual process by which the Canadian state eonstraiAed the
ancest institutions of command over Aboriginal communiies,
only to have them replaced, in conformity with the powers granted
by the Indian Act, by electoral mechanisms derived from the
Wesiinster model. Even those processes to designate directors that
are called customay, and which art validated by the Indian Act,
almost universally obey the logic of the state electoral model.
However, an attentive examisation of the effects of a
Westminster4ype election on the political and democratic life of
communities does not always allow for the conclusion that the
promise of a fair and legitimate government has been houotred. A
conviaisg criticism of the state electoral model brings out the
strong potential fur demsoeatic lrgitimacy that characterizes certain
uraditions of Aboriginal governance of a consensualist naume, which
are often mores pectful of the sociological and familial realities
that can be observed in communities. The author demonstrates that
the cur nt legal franework, as well as the legislative reforms that
have been proposed, would allow a large nuber of communitmies to
adopt eastomasy institutions better adapted to a democratic cultre
that is both uniquely Aboriginal and modem. Nevertheless, it cannot
be forgotten that any Aboriginal cusiom adopted must be in
confortity with the Chater. This should, however, not be a
significant obstacle to communities that want to renew their
democratic gove'naoac following a conteaporary ending of their
tradition.
. Professeur titulaire, Faculte de droit, Universit Laval. Les travaux ncessaires A la r&laction de cc(
article ont 66 r~alis6s dans le cadre du projet <Autochtonie et gouvemance> financ6 par Valorisation
recherche Qu6bec.
© Revue de droit de McGill 2004
McGill Law Journal 2004
Mode de iff6rence : (2004) 49 R.D. McGill 393
To be cited as: (2004) 49 McGiU LJ. 393](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/mcgil49&div=20&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
Election, Gouvernance Traditionelle et Droits Fondamentaux Chez les Peuples Autochtones du Canada
Election, Gouvernance Traditionelle et Droits Fondamentaux Chez les Peuples Autochtones du Canada