<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band government</span>

Band government

In Canada, an Indian band or band , sometimes referred to as a First Nation band or simply a First Nation, is the basic unit of government for those peoples subject to the Indian Act . Bands can be united into larger regional groupings called tribal councils. A treaty council or treaty association, has additional meaning and historically in most provinces represents signatory bands of treaty areas. British Columbia is an exception as treaties in most of the province have not been completed. There the treaty councils have been formed in order to negotiate future treaty claims. Another emerging type of organization in British Columbia is the chiefs' council, such as the St'át'timc Chiefs Council. These councils unite bands that are not included in tribal councils with those that are in tribal councils. Bands also typically belong to one or more kinds of provincial council or similar organization. They also belong to the pan-Canadian Assembly of First Nations , chaired by a leader elected by the bands, each chief having one vote, rather than at-large by individual band members. Bands are, to an extent, the governing body for their Indian reserves. Many First Nations also have large off-reserve populations whom the band government also represents; it may also deal with non-members who live on reserve or work for the band. 