Université de Montréal and Aboriginal groups team up to investigate models of self-governance
(Ottawa, April 10 ,2006) -- The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is investing $2.5 million in a five-year project to develop models for Aboriginal governance that draw on the best in both modern scholarship and ancient traditions. The project will be led by Canada’s largest Aboriginal law research group, which will join forces with researchers in constitutional studies, economics, anthropology, philosophy, and political science, and with numerous Aboriginal groups in Canada.
Pierre Noreau, professor in the faculty of law at the Université de Montréal and director of the Centre de recherche en droit public (Public Law Research Centre), will lead the “Indigenous Peoples and Governance” project. Consisting of 39 researchers from 21 Canadian universities, the research team will work with the Law Commission of Canada, the Royal Society of Canada, and nine Aboriginal associations to propose models for Aboriginal governance and for relationships between sovereign peoples. Together, they will explore the unique characteristics of Aboriginal governance in a Canadian context.
“We’re engaging Aboriginal peoples and academics in a discussion about the relationship between sovereign nations that coexist in the same territory,” said Professor Noreau. “This project is particularly exciting because it involves Aboriginal groups from across the country. We are also teaming up with researchers from many disciplines and from different countries. This level of involvement will enable us to build realistic models of self-governance.”
Noreau’s project, one of four selected from 34 submissions to the Major Collaborative Research Initiatives (MCRI) program, was chosen through a rigorous, independent peer review process which ensures that only the best research projects receive funding. The MCRI program is recognized internationally as a powerful way to get universities and communities working together on research that has important social, economic and cultural impacts on society.
“This project opens up a dialogue with Aboriginal communities and engages them in a process that will shape their future,” said Stan Shapson, interim president of SSHRC. “Just as importantly, Professor Noreau has put together an impressive team of researchers from a variety of disciplines and has designated $1.25 million for student training, particularly for Aboriginal students.”
For additional information on this release and other SSHRC research projects, please contact:
Susan Goodyear
Media Relations Officer
Telephone: (613) 947-4629
E-mail: susan.goodyear@sshrc.ca
