Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians

Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians
Name	Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians
Formation	1969
Headquarters	Ontario, Canada
Region served	Six Nations of the Grand River, Mohawks of Akwesasne, Mississaugas of the Credit, Delaware of the Grand River, Hiawatha First Nation, Wahta Mohawks
Membership	Six Nations, Akwesasne, Mississaugas, Delaware, Hiawatha, Wahta
Leader title	Executive Director

Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians is a regional political organization representing several Haudenosaunee and allied communities in Ontario, Canada. It advocates on issues including treaty rights, land claims, fishing and hunting rights, and Indigenous self-determination, interacting with provincial institutions and federal agencies. The Association engages in legal challenges, public campaigns, cultural programs, and intergovernmental negotiations to advance member nations' interests.

History

The Association formed in the late 1960s amid a period of Indigenous activism influenced by events such as the Calder v British Columbia (AG), the White Paper (1969), and the rise of organizations like the National Indian Brotherhood and Assembly of First Nations. Early leaders drew on traditions from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and diplomatic practice seen in the Royal Proclamation of 1763, while responding to settler-colonial policies shaped by the Indian Act and decisions like R v. Sparrow. The organization's development touched on disputes connected to the Jay Treaty, the Robinson Treaties, and the legacy of the Haldimand Proclamation, prompting engagements with bodies such as the Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Influences included activism by figures associated with movements around the Caledonia land dispute, the Oka Crisis, and regional activism linking to groups like the Union of Ontario Indians and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

Membership and Structure

Member communities include the Six Nations of the Grand River; the Mohawks of Akwesasne; the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation; the Delaware of the Grand River; Hiawatha First Nation; and the Wahta Mohawks, organized through a tribal council model similar to other bodies such as the Brantford Native Housing initiatives and inter-tribal coalitions like the Anishinabek Nation. Governance features elected chiefs and councils drawn from members who have participated in forums resembling those convened by the Assembly of First Nations and provincial roundtables with the Government of Ontario. Administrative functions work alongside legal teams that have engaged counsel with experience before the Supreme Court of Canada, litigators who have appeared in matters like R v. Marshall and R v. Powley, and policy advisors acquainted with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada recommendations.

Legal and Political Activities

The Association has pursued litigation and negotiations concerning land titles, resource rights, and treaty interpretation, invoking precedents such as R v. Sparrow, R v. Marshall, and R v. Powley, and interacting with tribunals like the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and courts including the Ontario Court of Appeal. It has submitted positions to federal processes linked to legislation such as the Constitution Act, 1982 Section 35 and participated in consultations with the Department of Justice (Canada), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (Ontario), and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (Ontario). The Association has collaborated with national legal organizations including the Native Women's Association of Canada and the Indigenous Bar Association, and has taken part in policy dialogues alongside the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples legacy initiatives and implementation work tied to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Cultural and Community Programs

Programs promoted by the Association encompass language revitalization, land-based education, and cultural heritage preservation, partnering with institutions such as Six Nations Polytechnic, the Akwesasne Cultural Center, and museums like the Woodland Cultural Centre. Initiatives have connected with academic partners at McMaster University, University of Toronto, and Queen's University, and cultural networks including the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. Community services include health and social programs coordinated with bodies like the First Nations Health Authority model and provincial health units, youth programming resonant with work by the Indspire foundation, and collaborations with organizations such as the Métis National Council and local non-profits like the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto.

Notable Events and Advocacy

The Association has been active in protests, public inquiries, and campaigns addressing resource development disputes like pipelines similar to those challenged before the National Energy Board and environmental assessments under the Impact Assessment Act (Canada). It has supported actions related to fisheries and hunting rights contested in cases comparable to the Marshall decision protests and has engaged in land reclamation events echoing the Caledonia land dispute and Guujaaw-inspired activism. The Association has issued statements during national moments such as responses to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, participated in commemorations tied to the Royal Proclamation of 1763 anniversaries, and worked with provincial inquiries akin to those following the Ipperwash Crisis.

Relationship with First Nations and Government Bodies

The Association maintains government-to-government relations with the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario, engaging in bilateral talks with ministries like the Indigenous Services Canada and participating in multilateral forums alongside the Assembly of First Nations, Provincial Territorial Organizations and entities such as the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres. It liaises with neighbouring municipal governments including Brantford and Kingston, Ontario, regional conservation authorities similar to the Grand River Conservation Authority, and enforcement agencies like the Ontario Provincial Police when jurisdictional issues arise. The Association also coordinates with national Indigenous organizations including the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, Native Women's Association of Canada, and international bodies referencing the UN Working Group on Indigenous Peoples.

Category:Indigenous organizations in Ontario