The Joint Chiefs Assembly met this past week at Dakota Tipi First Nation.

One thing discussed was the abolishment of the Indian Act, and Dakota Plains Council Member Craig Blacksmith says the government has been discrediting aboriginals for a long time.

"Rather than giving us the trust money, they've made us out to look like we're financially incompetent. We're criminals, the prisons are full of our people. It's all designed to make us look like we don't know how to look after ourselves."

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Derek Nepinak feels the need to engage with the Canadian Government on an nation-to-nation basis.

"We believe that in order to engage on a nation-to-nation basis, we have to move past the Indian Act in order to properly construct legitimate forms of governance within our indigenous nations to engage on a nation-to-nation basis."

Dakota Tipi Chief David Pashe says they still need to be cautious when approaching the subject.

"That might just give the government fuel for the fire. They just might say well if you abolish the Indian Act, there'll be no more Indian then, and we don't have to fund you anymore. So we have to be very careful."

Pashe adds the have to patient, and take the correct steps.