First Nations Election Cancellation and Postponement Regulations (Prevention of Diseases) Country/Territory Canada Document type Regulation Date 2020 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Environment gen., General Keyword Indigenous peoples Traditional rights/customary rights Public health Hazards Traditional knowledge/indigenous knowledge Governance Capacity building Geographical area Americas, Arctic, Asia and the Pacific, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic Abstract Whereas the Governor in Council is of the opinion that there is an outbreak of a communicable disease, namely coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the introduction or spread of COVID-19 poses an imminent and severe risk to public health in Canada; Whereas some First Nations had begun or were about to begin the process of electing their chief and councillors;Whereas some First Nations have cancelled or postponed elections to avoid the introduction or spread of COVID-19 and some do not or will not have a council in place at the end of the tenure of the chief and councillors;And whereas it is necessary to ensure continuance of governance of First Nations during the outbreak and spread of COVID-19; This regulation establishes that if the extension is necessary to prevent, mitigate or control the spread of diseases on the reserve, the council of a First Nation whose chief and councillors are elected under that Act may, within 90 days before the day on which a tenure of office of the chief and councillors ends, extend that tenure and must either cancel or postpone the election. Full text English/French Website laws.justice.gc.ca References - Legislation Implements First Nations Elections Act (S.C. 2014, c. 5 ) Legislation | Canada | 2015 (2020) Keyword: Indigenous peoples, Traditional knowledge/indigenous knowledge, Governance, Capacity building Source: FAO, FAOLEX