Our Work

Advancing meaningful dialogue, postcolonial decision-making, and First Nations jurisdiction in British Columbia

Resonant Strategic works with First Nations and allied organizations to decolonize decision-making in BC. We do this through three key pathways.

Communications and Public Education

First, we build communications strategies and public-facing products that help educate non-Indigenous audiences about BC’s colonial history, and the need for change. Under the Crown’s own laws, the vast majority of BC was never subject to a treaty. This fact leads First Nations to win in court again and again, and the Province and Federal Government to begin to negotiate seriously. Unfortunately many British Columbians remain unaware of these realities, and – being the product of a colonial education system themselves – often react against First Nations’ political victories. We help clients build better relations with their non-Indigenous neighbours with compelling stories and educational tools that reduce these frictions and lead to better decision-making processes.

Postcolonial Decision-Making

Second, we support our clients to engage with their membership in developing truly postcolonial decision-making processes within their own Nations. After over a century of the Indian Act traditional systems have been forced to work alongside Chief and Council systems. The scarcity and poverty enforced by the colonial system has meant that the control of the elected system would privilege only a few families at a time. Traditional leadership was never recognized by Ottawa, unless they decided to integrate with the Band council and run for election. Now many Nations are considering how to reconcile their traditional and elected systems, and a third party is often an important factor in doing this fairly and legitimately. Resonant Strategic designs the engagement processes needed to ensure that the perspectives of traditional and elected leadership and membership at large are incorporated into new ways of making decisions that respect the various roles held within the Nation, and can be durable and transparent to all.

Advancing First Nations Jurisdiction

Third, we facilitate processes that build towards collaborative management and decision-making for natural resources in BC.

Resonant Strategic advances First Nations jurisdiction by facilitating collaborative management and decision-making in areas such as natural resource management. One example is the Lakes Resiliency Project (LRP), which aims to develop forest landscape plans in British Columbia that respect First Nations’ inherent stewardship roles. By coordinating the First Nations Steering Committee (FNSC), Resonant Strategic promotes the inclusion of Indigenous values, enhances governance structures, and improves decision-making processes in forestry. Their work also includes communication, engagement, and liaising between First Nations, provincial representatives, and technical experts.

Additionally, Resonant Strategic bridges the gap between Crown and Indigenous governments through post-colonial diplomacy. They support First Nations in articulating their priorities in ways that Crown governments can understand and incorporate into existing processes, promoting the recognition of Indigenous jurisdiction and legal pluralism. This work fosters mutual understanding and collaboration, leading to transformative changes in decision-making and advancing Indigenous sovereignty.