Charting a course for Aboriginal self-government

Close to 100 researchers and students to meet at the Université de Montréal to study models of self-government

Montreal, October 7, 2008 – The Université de Montréal is hosting a major conference on aboriginal self-government this week. Close to 100 university researchers and students from all disciplines will meet on October 10 and 11 as part of the Indigenous Peoples and Governance research project, directed by Pierre Noreau, a professor at the Centre de recherche en droit public (CRDP).

This gathering will constitute the largest research group on aboriginal issues in Canada, bringing together academics from constitutional studies, economics, anthropology, philosophy, and political science, as well as many of Canada's aboriginal groups. A total of 39 researchers from 21 Canadian universities will cooperate with several aboriginal associations to develop models for aboriginal self-government and new relationships between indigenous peoples and the State. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is investing $2.5 million for this initiative, which aims to develop aboriginal self-government models that combine modern knowledge and ancient traditions.

"We are inviting indigenous peoples and academics to take part in a discussion about relations between distinct nations that co-exist within the same territory," said professor Noreau. "This project is an exciting and fascinating challenge. In the end, it will provide the actors involved – governments and aboriginal leaders – with practical tools for effectively implementing the right to self-government of the indigenous peoples of Canada."

About the conference
The 2008 Indigenous Peoples and Governance Conference is being held on October 10 and 11 at the Université de Montréal. For more information, please visit www.pag-ipg.com.

Note: To attend the Conference, schedule an interview with Prof. Pierre Noreau or obtain more information about the IPG research project, please contact:
Éric Cardinal
Coordinator, Indigenous Peoples and Governance Research Project
Université de Montréal
Cell: 514-258-2315
Email: eric.cardinal@umontreal.ca