NEWS RELEASE

First Nations Gazette Launches Redesigned Website

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, British Columbia – June 21, 2020 – The First Nations Gazette is pleased to announce the launch of its redesigned website. Today marks the twenty-third anniversary of the First Nations Gazette (FNG). First Nation governments have been pushing forward and gaining access to more jurisdictions and powers. As their jurisdictions and powers grow, so do their responsibilities, including transparency for their members and providing taxpayers with access to the laws and by-laws that affect them. The FNG has firmly established itself as the leading source for First Nation legislation in Canada.

FNG’s success and longevity is, in part, due to its recognition that First Nations want to ensure there is a reliable and easily accessible source of legal information available. This has led to many of FNG’s technical innovations over the years. The redesign announced today includes a fresh and streamlined look with an enhanced search system to help visitors quickly and easily find the information they need.

“We are committed to innovate and evolve along with First Nations who are pushing forward, expanding jurisdictions. The FNG is a fundamental and useful tool that is a part of this process, supporting the governance of First Nation laws.” said Chief Commissioner C.T. (Manny) Jules.

The new searchable database is built on Lexum’s powerful Decisia and Qweri platforms which enables improved speed and provides a new and easier to use search interface that includes full-text searching and a new and flexible advanced search with user-centric features such as auto-completion of queries and highlighting of search terms. A new mailing list and RSS and JSON feeds will allow users to be notified when new notices, laws, by-laws, codes, and other enactments are published.

The FNG is a free online service operated by the First Nations Tax Commission. It provides public access to First Nation notices, First Nation laws and by-laws, land codes and other First Nation enactments. More than 300 First Nations currently use the FNG to post laws, by-laws, and notices. With a searchable database that currently houses more than 8,000 items, the FNG has been the legal voice of First Nations in Canada since its official launch on June 21, 1997.