Canada's Indians: norms of responsible government under federalism

Abstract: This study examines the application of norms of responsible government in Indian governments. We discuss Indian Act bands and the ten bands under separate self-government legislation. In addition, the study looks closely at ten self-government proposals involving forty-seven communities that were under negotiation as of April 1991. We measure these twenty cases through a matrix of principles of accountability by governmental fields. These include enacting laws, leadership selection, lands and resources management, financial management, and band membership. The study argues that Canada's Indians do not need to take any lessons from non-Indians on the importance of the accountability of leaders. In many aspects Indian norms of accountability, particularly those in a self-government setting, are more direct and potentially richer in practice than those typically enjoyed by most non-Indian Canadian citizens. The study concludes that the practice of responsible government by Indians deserves its rightful place within the mainstream of the study of public administration in Canada. Sommaire: Cette étude se penche sur l'application aux gouvernements indiens des normes définissant un gouvernement responsable. Elle discute des bandes qui relèvant de la Loi sur les Indiens et des dix bandes qui sont sous le coup de mesures législatives distinctes d'auto-gouvernement. De plus, elle examine de près dix propositions gouvernementales mettant enjeu 47 collectivités et qui en étaient au stade des négociations en avril 1991. Nous évaluons ces 20 cas grâce à une matrice de principes d'obligation redditionnelle par secteurs gouvernementaux, tels que l'adoption des lois, la sélection des leaders, la gestion des terres, des ressources et des fonds, et l'appartenance aux bandes. L'étude soutient que les Canadiens non-indiens n'ont pas de leçons à donner aux Indiens du Canada sur l'importance de la responsabilisation des leaders. À bien des égards, les normes d'obligation redditionnelle des Indiens -surtout dans un contexte d'auto-gouvernement - sont plus directes et potentiellement plus riches sur le plan pratique que celles en vigueur parmi la plupart des citoyens canadiens non-indiens. L'étude conclut que les Indiens ont pleinement droit à un auto-gouvernement capable     

Silent suicide in the elderly

The suicide rate in the United States rises consistently with age. Silent suicide is defined as the intention, often masked, to kill oneself by nonviolent means through self-starvation or noncompliance with essential medical treatment. Silent suicide frequently goes unrecognized because of undiagnosed depression and the interjection of the personal belief systems of health-care providers and family members. Elderly individuals committing silent suicide are often thought to be making rational end of life decisions. However, the elderly committing silent suicide must be distinguished from terminally ill patients who refuse further treatment in order not to prolong the act of dying. The clinical/legal issues surrounding silent suicide will be discussed.     

Improving legislative surveillance of provincial public expenditures: the performance of the Public Accounts Committees and Auditors General

Abstract. Public disquiet over rapidly rising government expenditures makes control of the public purse a matter of continuous concern. While studies have shown that control improvements are needed at the federal level, the provincial experience has been virtually ignored. This study hopes to fill this void, making several observations on the conjoint roles of the ten provincial Public Accounts Committees and provincial Auditors General. A study of the standing operating procedures of the committees, the role of the Auditors, their inter-relationship, and other factors which affect the ability of the committees to do their job reveals the unevenness of provincial legislative audit surveillance. The rapid expansion in the areas of historic government responsibility and the increasing involvement by government in activities hitherto the responsibility of the private sector raise the crucial question as to whether management audits should be added to conventional financial auditing. The paper concludes that the major participants in the structures of provincial financial administration must ensure that the role of the committees and Auditors does not diminish in relation to those of cabinet and treasury, else the public image of responsible government may become tarnished. A number of reforms to the committees and Auditors may do much to restore the role of the legislatures in the years to come. The paper makes a number of recommendations to this end. Sommaire. L'inquiétude du public devant l'augmentation rapide des dépenses gouvernementales fait du contrǒle du Trésor public une question de preoccupation constante. Des études ont indiqué qu'il fallait améliorer les contrǒles au niveau fédéral, mais elles ont pratiquement laissé de cǒté l'expérience provinciale. Le but de cette étude est de remédier à cette carence en présentant diverses observations sur les roles conjoints des dix comités provinciaux des comptes publics et des auditeurs-généraux provinciaux. Un examen des procedures d'opération en usage, du rǒle des auditeurs, de leurs