On Tuesday, Ngāi Tahu set a compelling vision of tino rangatiratanga centred on economic self-determination.  

The late Māori King Arikinui Tuheitia asked iwi and hapū to hold four hui to build ‘kotahitanga’ – unity.  

Ngāi Tahu’s hui brought Canadian First Nations leaders to show assembled iwi leaders how Canada’s indigenous peoples are doing rangatiratanga, rather than just talking about it.  

Canada’s change over the past few decades is remarkable. Lands under First Nations authority are becoming places of opportunity – largely thanks to decades of work of Chief Manny Jules, the Kamloops-based head of the First Nations Tax Commission.  

Chief Derek Epp of the Ch'íyáqtel Nation near Chilliwack, BC, explained how his small band progressed to economic self-determination grounded in authority over their own lands.  

In 1990, Ch'íyáqtel Band Council depended on central government for 90% of its revenue. Since then, his nation has used its autonomy to build new housing and commercial developments. Some housing is for band members. Other housing generates revenue for the band, not just from the initial sale but also from ongoing tax revenue.  

Ch'íyáqtel sets property and other taxes within its jurisdiction, and simply pays the town of Chilliwack for its services.  

Now, only 10% of the Band Council’s revenue is from central government. The rest derives from the economic development that has been enabled on their own lands. Chief Epp told us, “I will never say we are dependent on the government.” 

His band is buying back previously alienated land and putting it under their own authority. That enables more development and the restoration of a river that is important to his people.  

Grand Chief Mike LeBourdais and Chief Commissioner Manny Jules also discussed a shift towards economic empowerment.  

Te Maire Tau, Upoko of host hapū Ngāi Tūāhuriri, invited me along to talk about the opportunities I see for applying Canada’s lessons to New Zealand.  

Here, an iwi must beg council permission to build on their own land, and nothing can be done easily on Māori freehold land. Meanwhile, outside Vancouver, the Squamish are building thousands of apartments on their own authority – and Vancouver City’s chief planner wants to learn from their example of fast delivery.  

We have a housing shortage and regional underdevelopment. Current policy stops iwi from using their own resources to build on their own land.  

Tino rangatiraganga as economic self-determination – doing rangatiraganga – could be a unifying vision for all of us.