Prosperity and well-being is predicated upon honest, efficient government that respects the rule of law and property rights. This includes First Nations governments.

CALGARY, Dec. 2, 2015 – Frontier Centre for Public Policy has published the document “Towards a First Nations Governance Index” written by Dr. Tom Flanagan and Laura Johnson.

Flanagan and Johnson begin by stating that the achievement of prosperity and well-being is predicated upon honest, efficient government that respects the rule of law and property rights. This is true of all communities including those of First Nations. The intent of this research is to provide the building blocks towards an index of governmental performance, a First Nations Governance Index (FNGI).

Much of the available research reinforces the proposition that “governance plays an essential role in achieving a higher standard of living and quality of life”. In addition to the Community Well-Being Index (CWB) calculated by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, the FNGI includes additional variables based on publicly available information. The information gathered in the FNGI can potentially be used to evaluate First Nations governance performance and identify areas for improvement.

Dr. Tom Flanagan is Chair of the Aboriginal Futures program for the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, author of several award-winning books on Aboriginal issues, a columnist for the Globe & Mail and frequent contributor to national and international press. Laura Johnson holds a Chemical Engineering degree with a minor in Economics from the University of Waterloo and has completed a Master of Public Policy program.

Dr. Flanagan and Ms. Johnson’s “Towards a First Nations Governance Index” can be found here: First Nations Governance Index

For further information: Media Inquiries and Information: Deb Solberg, C: (403) 919-9335, E: debsolberg@gmail.com

RELATED LINKS
www.fcpp.org

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