Definitions for "Self-government"
The act of governing one's self, or the state of being governed by one's self; self-control; self-command.
Hence, government of a community, state, or nation by the joint action of the mass of people constituting such a civil body; also, the state of being so governed; democratic government; democracy.
Quite simply, the concept expresses the desire of Aboriginal peoples to control their destiny. It precludes accountability to the provincial and federal governments in favour of accountability and responsibility to the Aboriginal peoples by their own Aboriginal leaders. Self-government is concerned with sovereignty in relation to the Canadian state- within it or outside it, depending on one=s view. Self-government consists of two distinguishing factors. The first is the source of the right of self-government: the federal government's position is that self-government may be delegated by the Canadian state whereas most Aboriginal leaders contend that self-government is an inherent right that can not be extinguished. The second factor concerns the implementation of the right of self-government (taken from Issac, 1995:343).