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A constitution can consist of the following topics; our territory, how we care for and protect the land, our core values, principles, our individual rights and responsibilities, affirm who can be recognized as a Squamish person, outline the structure of our own government, how we elect our leaders, how we settle disputes, and outline the process for amending our constitution should we want to make changes in the future.

No. You will not lose our status or your tax exemption rights. You will still be able to use your status to make tax exempt purchases on reserve, earn tax exempt income on reserve and everyone with a status card will keep their status. Everything will remain the same and the constitution we are working on will not change that.

No. The Nation is NOT interested in signing any treaty with the government. The constitution we are creating is NOT about going self-government. The constitution aims help our nation become stronger with a clear vision moving forward as a nation and will also help to protect our lands and territory for future generations.

No, the goal is to have the final written constitution be approx. 12-14 pages and be written with language that everyone can understand. Our Squamish Ways, the Constitution we create together, should be something that everyone can relate to and something that everyone supports and understands.

Our Squamish Ways (Constitution Project) is a people’s initiative. It is being created for us, by us – laying out the core rules and principles that will govern our Nation. It reflects who we are, where we come from, and where we are going. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a historic project for our people.

The Constitution project is driven by two different bodies who, together, work towards the creation of the Nations own constitution.

1) There is a Secretariat, and the secretariate is just a fancy way to describe an administrative group who oversees the project. There are 3 key staff in the Secretariat, Danielle Mellish, Project Manager; Rosemarie Williams, Engagement Officer; and Michelle Hawthornthwaite, Admin Coordinator. Together, they coordinate and run all the large and small meetings and events, organize all the community engagement initiatives and strategies, and organize all the internal meetings that need to happen and ensure that the project meets all its timeline milestones and initiatives.

2) There is a Constitution Working Group (CWG). The CWG was formed from people who applied from the call out that was made in the spring of 2023 and were formally appointed in the summer of 2023. It’s comprised of 10 people in total. 2 elders, 2 youth, 2 on reserve, 2 off reserve and 2 council reps. It will be their job to review the information gathered, oversee and steer the project, and draft the constitution. (Dave Jacobs Paitsmuk, Donna Billy Sisolia, Ann Whonnoak Syexwaliya, Brad Baker Tsúnumut, Chris Lewis Syetáx̱tn, Jessie Williams, Peter Baker, Monica Jacobs MJ, and Jonny Williams.)

A constitution protects and recognizes Squamish Nation values and provides a foundation upon which the Nation’s government is built and policies and laws are made. This will establish the rules and principles and provide guidance to the Council on how to operate, the rights of Squamish People, and define the relationship between Squamish People, administration, and Council. It expresses the broad consensus of the people now.

As you may be aware, there are existing laws/codes that our nation has, and some laws are being updated as we speak, such as the membership code.
To understand how these laws will all work together, it’s good to think of the constitution like the framework of a house. The constitution will provide the structure of how our nation will function. And the other laws, like the membership code, are like rooms inside the house. The laws and codes and bylaws that sit within the house can be updated just like a room remodeling or renovation without disrupting the structure of the house.
The constitution will be the highest law (AKA the framework of the house) and the other laws that sit inside the house will need to be aligned with what they highest law says. They will all work together.

One of the main reasons for creating our own Constitution is to support our Nation-building and strengthen our system of governance.
Researchers in the US set out in the 1990s to find out what factors were most likely to ensure Indigenous Nations’ successful and sustainable development. They assumed at the outset that economic factors (such as access to natural resources, type of land and proximity to major centres or travel routes) would be the most important. Instead, their research showed that five principles (which they referred to as the “Nation Building” approach) are essential to Indigenous Nations’ successful and sustainable development:

1. Control over decision-making rests with the Nation itself,
2. Governing structures have authority and function well,
3. Governing structures have legitimacy in the community,
4. Decisions made with long-term priorities in mind, and
5. Community-spirited leadership.

A constitution is central to the Nation Building approach because it supports a Nation in asserting its sovereignty, defining its priorities and governance structures, and ensuring those governance structures function effectively and are focused on the community’s long-term priorities.

A constitution is neither a colonial nor Western idea. In fact, some of the key concepts incorporated into American Constitution the United States were inspired by the Iroquois Confederacy and other Indigenous Nations’ governance structures. At its foundation, the creation of a constitution is an act of self-determination.

Our Constitution will be founded on the Squamish Nation’s own values – this will ensure that it reflects who we are, rather being based on colonial or Western concepts.

As stated by late T’echuxanm Siyam, Chief Joe Mathias: “Traditionally, the longhouse was the centre of Indian government and the spiritual focal point of an Indian community. All things of community importance took place in the longhouse: the passing of laws, the giving of names, spiritual dancing, funerals, and more. The potlatch was, and is, the most fundamental ceremony to take place in the longhouse. Elaborate and complex, the potlatch, through its ritual, reinforces the value systems upon which Indian societies have defined themselves for centuries.”

Our Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim will be incorporated into the constitution. The Constitution Working Group is working closely with our language speakers, and the language will also be reviewed by the language commission before being finalized so that it will be correct in the final document.

Squamish People who participate in the Squamish Nation Constitution Project will contribute to what approach will be taken and what goes into it.
The Constitution Project is a people’s initiative with the goal of getting all Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Stélmexw to participate in deciding our way of being a nation. All the information that we collect from our large gatherings, family dinners, surveys, and all the feedback from in-person and online engagement is being documented and recorded and will be considered when the working group is drafting the constitution.

Squamish People voted on a resolution to create a Squamish Nation Constitution at the People’s Assembly in November 2022. The resolution was brought forward by Paitsmuk Dave Jacobs and seconded by Syetaxtn Chris Lewis. We have learned that our past leadership has discussed creating a constitution for our nation since the late 1970’s and that due to the constraints at the time it was not seen as a priority until now.

In simple terms, a constitution provides the fundamental rules and principles that govern a Nation and can speak to who we are, where we come from, and where we are going.
Our Amalgamation Prayer is a form of a constitution and was and is the base of how we became a nation.
Constitutions set the foundation for the relationship between a Nation’s people and their government. Constitutions can take many forms – some are written, and others are not. Constitutions can convey a Nation’s vision of itself (Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?), its values (What matters to us? What kind of relationships do we have with each other? With outsiders? And with the world around us?), its governance structures (How do we organize to get things done? How do we choose leaders? Who has authority over what? How do we hold decision-makers accountable?) And how do we move forward? (How do we make decisions? How do we deal with disagreements or disputes?).
It will be up to Squamish People to decide what to include – and not include – in the Squamish Nation Constitution. Together, we have to decide… what is “Our Squamish Ways”.
The constitution we are trying to create will help our nation become stronger with a clear vision moving forward as a nation. And will also help to protect our lands and territory for future generations.