n 2007, the world made a landmark commitment to Indigenous peoples with the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). This declaration was a global call to action—an acknowledgment of the rights Indigenous peoples have always held, rooted in their relationships to land, water, species, and culture. UNDRIP opened a door and promised a potential path toward systemic change that honors these rights and promotes sustainability. Yet, for all its potential, UNDRIP can only be as powerful as the actions that follow it.
This is the challenge: to transform global principles into tangible changes at national, regional, and community levels, where they have real impact. In Canada, this challenge is being met by Indigenous servant leaders who are shaping the future of regulatory systems in a way that embeds indigenous knowledge and rights. They are pushing the system to go beyond symbolic gestures and empty promises, driving real, meaningful additions that embed Indigenous rights into the fabric of decision–making.
These efforts come at a critical moment, as the world faces unprecedented environmental shifts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recognized the fundamental role of Traditional Knowledge (TK) in addressing climate change, reaffirming what Indigenous peoples have always known—connection to the land is essential to survival.
At the heart of this transformation is a leadership model that is not often recognized on the public stage. It is a form of servant leadership, led by individuals like Richard Aisaican, Raymond Cardinal and many others who work tirelessly behind the scenes.
These leaders aren’t making noise, they’re making progress—decolonizing old systems and building new systems that reflect Indigenous peoples' inherent and modern rights. These aren’t political or hereditary leaders, these are leaders occupying a new leadership space carved by articles of the UNDRIP, specifically Canada’s United Nations Declaration Act. With open doors to take direct action, their work requires resilience and an unwavering belief in the future. The transformation of regulatory frameworks is not just a technical process; it is a social and relational shift that honors the connection between land and people. UNDRIP provides a global framework, UNDA opens the Canadian door, but it is through national and local action that the real work happens.
Canada as an example
Systemic change is difficult because it challenges deeply entrenched ways of thinking and operating, especially when it comes to decolonizing—deconstructing and reinventing colonial structures.
In Canada, the history of Indigenous exclusion from regulatory systems started with the Indian Act, which was the beginning of agency structures that excluded the voices of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. Born from genocidal tendencies, the Indian Act removed sovereignty from Indigenous peoples as Nations, subsequently domesticating them and reducing them to wards of the state. Today, Indigenous leaders provide a consistent voice and a new path which generates increased momentum—one that insists upon shared sovereignty and places Indigenous rights at the center of regulatory systems.
First in the energy industry, for example, updated regulations, inspections and enforcement processes that reflect First Nations issues are being developed. These can in turn create new precedents for other natural resources sectors. Richard and Raymond, along with many other unsung heroes, are a part of this quiet revolution. Their work involves reshaping outdated regulatory frameworks, not only to ensure Indigenous rights are upheld but to create systems change that withstand the winds of political change.
They are working to establish Indigenous Regulatory Oversight for the impacted First Nations they serve. This is the structured and formal process of ensuring First Nations peoples’ have benefit and decision–making authority over land issues impacting them, their rights, and ways of life for the lifecycle of projects and their related infrastructure. The intent of Indigenous Regulatory Oversight is to ensure that Indigenous rights, knowledge, and governance structures are respected and integrated, requiring changes to existing Canadian regulatory processes.
This requires a fair, independent, impartial, open and transparent process, giving due recognition to Indigenous peoples’ laws, traditions, customs, ceremonies, and land tenure systems to recognize and adjudicate the rights of Indigenous Peoples pertaining to their lands, territories and resources. It’s broadly acknowledged that with limited resources, regulators can’t focus on everything and need to take a risk–based approach. It is through new models of risk that include, not exclude, Indigenous issues that regulators can make meaningful change.
The kind of quiet, servant leadership Richard and Ray are working on every day reflects the deep connection to the land and a commitment to future generations—a long–term perspective that contrasts sharply with the short–term thinking that often dominates political and corporate thinking.
The broader lessons
Creating systemic change that lasts is not easy. Upstream thinking—designing regulations and frameworks that prevent problems before they occur, rather than reacting after damage has been done—is central to this work. Indigenous leaders are focused on creating systems that prioritize long–term environmental and cultural protections, ensuring that communities within Indigenous nations, lands, and ecosystems are safeguarded against shifting political winds.
The importance of these efforts becomes profound when we reflect on moments like Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the U.S. While such days offer a vital opportunity to celebrate and recognize the contributions of Indigenous peoples, the work of systemic transformation continues long after the spotlight has faded.
The way progress is being made in Canada’s regulatory systems offers a model for the world. As nations around the globe grapple with how to reconcile past injustices with Indigenous peoples, they can look to the work being done by Richard and Ray as a blueprint for transformation. Regulatory systems that integrate Indigenous rights and Traditional Knowledge are not only more just, they are more sustainable, ensuring environmental and cultural protections are built into the core of decision–making processes.
There is still much work to be done. The road to systemic transformation is long, and the resistance to change can be strong. But servant leaders like Richard and Ray (who are both too humble to describe themselves as leaders) show us that progress is possible, even in the face of enormous challenges. Their work is not just about regulatory reform—it’s about creating a future that is more equitable, sustainable, and respectful of Indigenous rights. As the IPCC notes, a world that is better for all.
For those of us watching, the path forward is clear. We must work to support Indigenous–led initiatives, both in Canada and around the world. Upholding Indigenous rights is not only a matter of justice; it is essential to building a more sustainable and equitable world for all.
Ursell would like to acknowledge that he is not Indigenous and has had the honor of providing professional support to Richard Aisaican and Raymond Cardinal in their transformative work. He extends his deepest gratitude to them for their collaboration on this article and for their unwavering servant leadership in reshaping regulatory systems. The pursuit of regulatory excellence benefits all living beings on our planet.
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Evolving Indigenous servant leadership to transform regulatory systems
Photo by Chelsey Faucher on Unsplash.
October 14, 2024
Indigenous servant leaders are forging a new path for regulatory systems by pushing them beyond symbolic gestures and empty promises, writes Charlie Ursell.
I
n 2007, the world made a landmark commitment to Indigenous peoples with the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). This declaration was a global call to action—an acknowledgment of the rights Indigenous peoples have always held, rooted in their relationships to land, water, species, and culture. UNDRIP opened a door and promised a potential path toward systemic change that honors these rights and promotes sustainability. Yet, for all its potential, UNDRIP can only be as powerful as the actions that follow it.
This is the challenge: to transform global principles into tangible changes at national, regional, and community levels, where they have real impact. In Canada, this challenge is being met by Indigenous servant leaders who are shaping the future of regulatory systems in a way that embeds indigenous knowledge and rights. They are pushing the system to go beyond symbolic gestures and empty promises, driving real, meaningful additions that embed Indigenous rights into the fabric of decision–making.
These efforts come at a critical moment, as the world faces unprecedented environmental shifts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recognized the fundamental role of Traditional Knowledge (TK) in addressing climate change, reaffirming what Indigenous peoples have always known—connection to the land is essential to survival.
At the heart of this transformation is a leadership model that is not often recognized on the public stage. It is a form of servant leadership, led by individuals like Richard Aisaican, Raymond Cardinal and many others who work tirelessly behind the scenes.
These leaders aren’t making noise, they’re making progress—decolonizing old systems and building new systems that reflect Indigenous peoples' inherent and modern rights. These aren’t political or hereditary leaders, these are leaders occupying a new leadership space carved by articles of the UNDRIP, specifically Canada’s United Nations Declaration Act. With open doors to take direct action, their work requires resilience and an unwavering belief in the future. The transformation of regulatory frameworks is not just a technical process; it is a social and relational shift that honors the connection between land and people. UNDRIP provides a global framework, UNDA opens the Canadian door, but it is through national and local action that the real work happens.
Canada as an example
Systemic change is difficult because it challenges deeply entrenched ways of thinking and operating, especially when it comes to decolonizing—deconstructing and reinventing colonial structures.
In Canada, the history of Indigenous exclusion from regulatory systems started with the Indian Act, which was the beginning of agency structures that excluded the voices of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. Born from genocidal tendencies, the Indian Act removed sovereignty from Indigenous peoples as Nations, subsequently domesticating them and reducing them to wards of the state. Today, Indigenous leaders provide a consistent voice and a new path which generates increased momentum—one that insists upon shared sovereignty and places Indigenous rights at the center of regulatory systems.
First in the energy industry, for example, updated regulations, inspections and enforcement processes that reflect First Nations issues are being developed. These can in turn create new precedents for other natural resources sectors. Richard and Raymond, along with many other unsung heroes, are a part of this quiet revolution. Their work involves reshaping outdated regulatory frameworks, not only to ensure Indigenous rights are upheld but to create systems change that withstand the winds of political change.
They are working to establish Indigenous Regulatory Oversight for the impacted First Nations they serve. This is the structured and formal process of ensuring First Nations peoples’ have benefit and decision–making authority over land issues impacting them, their rights, and ways of life for the lifecycle of projects and their related infrastructure. The intent of Indigenous Regulatory Oversight is to ensure that Indigenous rights, knowledge, and governance structures are respected and integrated, requiring changes to existing Canadian regulatory processes.
This requires a fair, independent, impartial, open and transparent process, giving due recognition to Indigenous peoples’ laws, traditions, customs, ceremonies, and land tenure systems to recognize and adjudicate the rights of Indigenous Peoples pertaining to their lands, territories and resources. It’s broadly acknowledged that with limited resources, regulators can’t focus on everything and need to take a risk–based approach. It is through new models of risk that include, not exclude, Indigenous issues that regulators can make meaningful change.
The kind of quiet, servant leadership Richard and Ray are working on every day reflects the deep connection to the land and a commitment to future generations—a long–term perspective that contrasts sharply with the short–term thinking that often dominates political and corporate thinking.
The broader lessons
Creating systemic change that lasts is not easy. Upstream thinking—designing regulations and frameworks that prevent problems before they occur, rather than reacting after damage has been done—is central to this work. Indigenous leaders are focused on creating systems that prioritize long–term environmental and cultural protections, ensuring that communities within Indigenous nations, lands, and ecosystems are safeguarded against shifting political winds.
The importance of these efforts becomes profound when we reflect on moments like Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the U.S. While such days offer a vital opportunity to celebrate and recognize the contributions of Indigenous peoples, the work of systemic transformation continues long after the spotlight has faded.
The way progress is being made in Canada’s regulatory systems offers a model for the world. As nations around the globe grapple with how to reconcile past injustices with Indigenous peoples, they can look to the work being done by Richard and Ray as a blueprint for transformation. Regulatory systems that integrate Indigenous rights and Traditional Knowledge are not only more just, they are more sustainable, ensuring environmental and cultural protections are built into the core of decision–making processes.
There is still much work to be done. The road to systemic transformation is long, and the resistance to change can be strong. But servant leaders like Richard and Ray (who are both too humble to describe themselves as leaders) show us that progress is possible, even in the face of enormous challenges. Their work is not just about regulatory reform—it’s about creating a future that is more equitable, sustainable, and respectful of Indigenous rights. As the IPCC notes, a world that is better for all.
For those of us watching, the path forward is clear. We must work to support Indigenous–led initiatives, both in Canada and around the world. Upholding Indigenous rights is not only a matter of justice; it is essential to building a more sustainable and equitable world for all.
Ursell would like to acknowledge that he is not Indigenous and has had the honor of providing professional support to Richard Aisaican and Raymond Cardinal in their transformative work. He extends his deepest gratitude to them for their collaboration on this article and for their unwavering servant leadership in reshaping regulatory systems. The pursuit of regulatory excellence benefits all living beings on our planet.
