The Indigenous Land Claims in New Zealand and Canada

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Tahu tribe will witness an improvement in their social and economic circumstances. In contrast, TheTainui Tribe has not been as fortunate and has suffered more setbacks. There have been internal riftswithin the tribe due to poor investments that have resulted in debt problems and leadership that hasbeen put into question (Buckingham and Dana, 7).The Ngai Tahu has thus far followed a more professional and accountable way of doingbusiness. The two arms of the Ngai Tahu Charitable Trust ensures that not only is profit made frombusiness investments and ventures but that this profit is redistributed back to the Ngai Tahu peoplethrough the Development Corporation. The money is then used to fund education, health and culturalprojects to aid socio-economic development for the future (Katschner, 11). According to InesKatschner, there are several factors that can be viewed as determinants of professional and successfulbusiness management of the Ngai Tahu people. First, at least two of the board members of theholding corporation must be experts in a particular industry that the corporation assumes, regardless ifthey are Ngai Tahu people or not. Secondly, the subsidiary boards need to provide written reportsabout their activities, which will ensure that they are responsible for the decisions that they make.Lastly, there are financial accountabilities and standards put in place to ensure consistency among thevarious subsidiaries.This is unlike the Tainui, who have experienced continual losses in poor investments.Smart investment is imperative to grow the wealth of the group and ensure long-term economicgrowth and prosperity. In addition, strong management practices emphasising accountability arealso important to ensure business growth and longevity. However, the corporate reorganization ofthe Tainui Group Holdings Ltd. has been a positive step towards profit realization, the ability toreinvest those profits, and distribution of tribal grants for social development.34
ConclusionNow to return to the four questions about land claims and modern treaties in both Canada andNew Zealand raised in the introduction. They were:1. Have comprehensive claims agreements served the purposes of the Indigenous people thatsigned them?2. If so, will they continue to do so in the future?3. If not, what must be done to see that they do?4. Will and should non-Indigenous people support the land claims and treaty-makingprocess?A report prepared in 1995 by ARA Consulting for the government of British Columbiasummarized the impact of treaties and land claims settlement in Canada, the United States, NewZealand and Australia. The key findings of that report were:• In no case has the resolution of land claims brought political or economic chaos …People adjusted to the new arrangements, political systems adapted, and businessesquickly found new ways of responding to the post-settlement environment.• The business communities in the areas affected by land claims opposed negotiationsinitially. … Over time business leaders came around. … In the post-settlement era,non-Indigenous business capitalized on new opportunities (often in joint venture withaboriginal companies) and discovered a common interest in sustainable, mutuallybeneficialeconomic development.• All the modern treaties have respected and accepted private land holdings and leases.Although Indigenous groups have been forthright in their demand for land andresources, they have in each case accepted the rights of existing property owners.• The most contentious issue surrounding treaty settlements relates to the managementof resources. Non-Indigenous fears that final agreements will block access to minerals,timber, fish, wildlife and other resources has, in almost every instance, added fuel tothe fires of discontent. …it is vital that the approaches to resource use and control befully explained in order to alleviate non-Indigenous concerns about the future ofbusinesses and communities that rely on resource development.• Treaties have provided Indigenous groups with the financial and administrative meansto begin charting a new economic future for their people. The establishment of forprofitcompanies, joint ventures with non-Indigenous corporations, communitydevelopment schemes, and the like are an integral part of the settlement process andtreaty implementation. … a basis for participating more fully in the broader economy.• Indigenous groups have learned … that education and training must figureprominently in post-settlement operations.• Underlying the treaty process is a heart-felt desire among the Indigenous people tokeep their language and culture strong, to recover from the difficulties of the past, andto interest non-Indigenous people in their heritage. (Coates 1995. 5-6).35
Page 1 and 2: The Saskatchewan Institute of Publi
Page 3 and 4: This paper explores the struggle by
Page 5 and 6: RECOGNIZING the urgent need to resp
Page 7: the treaties signed. It must also n
Page 11 and 12: The Canadian CasesBefore examining
Page 13 and 14: esource-based corporations for cert
Page 15 and 16: of Natives to protect their histori
Page 17 and 18: administration and development of t
Page 19 and 20: • Nunavik Arctic Foods harvests w
Page 21: In 1982, the CRA created the Cree R
Page 25 and 26: Inuvialuit Final AgreementIn May 19
Page 27 and 28: The massive project would, in turn,
Page 29 and 30: the rebuilding of the Inuvialuit
Page 31 and 32: that the settlement does not includ
Page 33 and 34: nearly enough to redress the previo
Page 35: Ngai Tahu Tourism is the parent com
Page 39 and 40: About the AuthorsRobert B. Anderson
Page 41 and 42: Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights
Page 43: No. 23 Performance Measurement, Rep

The Indigenous Land Claims in New Zealand and Canada

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