Frequently Asked Questions

Important notice: Please see below for the Chiefs of Ontario frequently asked questions. This list will be continually updated as we respond to your questions and requests. Please note, to ensure you are fully equipped and prepared to attend the meeting via Zoom, we strongly encourage you to read the following FAQ and review the Chief and Proxy checklist here: Chief and Proxy Checklist.

How does the online Special Chiefs Assembly work?

Zoom Platform

To facilitate an online gathering of First Nation leadership, the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) will be using the Zoom video conferencing platform to bring leadership together in accordance with the Charter and bylaws of the organization. The COO Secretariat and Leadership Council have been working diligently to preserve the traditional principles and procedures of a Chiefs gathering, including decision-making processes. We encourage you to download the latest version of Zoom in advance of the meeting.

Rules of Procedure and Code of Conduct for Assemblies

The same rules and procedures that were last used for an in-person leadership Assembly will be modified to accommodate the technology being used to facilitate our online gathering and tracking of decision making. A copy of the Rules of Procedure and Code of Conduct will be posted at https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/coo-sca-november and regularly emailed to Leadership leading up to the meeting. At the opening of the online leadership meeting, these rules will be adopted for use during our gathering. As we move through the agenda using the online rules and procedures, we expect that you will find a lot of familiarity with the process and the flow of the agenda.

Meeting Information

We recommend leadership become familiar with these rules of procedure in advance of the meeting. There will be other resource materials posted at https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/coo-sca-november. All materials will be emailed to leadership at the email address used to register for the meeting. We are strongly urging leadership to register by November 8, 2021, in order to receive all meeting information in advance of the meeting. The email will include details on how to connect to the meeting and important meeting documents and other information.

Where can I register for the meeting?

The easiest way to register is to go to https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/coo-sca-november and click on the online registration link.

Can I register on the day of the meeting?

While no leader will be turned away from joining their meeting, we suggest everyone register by November 8, 2021, to ensure they receive meeting information in advance of the Special Chiefs Assembly.

If you attempt to register on the day of the meeting, expect to experience delays connecting to the meeting and receiving your materials. Therefore, we strongly urge everyone to register by the recommended deadline. It is less stressful for both yourself and our staff.

Why does the meeting start at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time?

Our communities in Ontario extend across two time zones. The later than usual start time is to accommodate those in both time zones.

Why does the meeting room open 1 hour before the start time of our meeting?

We are expecting many people to be joining our meeting; we need time to get you all in the meeting room just like an in-person meeting.

When you first join the meeting, you will be placed in a Zoom waiting room. Our Registration Team needs time to transfer you from the waiting room into the main meeting room. During this time, staff will also be confirming the identity of those joining the meeting. We are asking you to have your camera on when you first join to expedite this process.

Can I invite a fellow Councillor or staff person into the meeting?

Converting our processes and practices into an online format presents many new challenges. At this time, we are asking only Chiefs or the designated proxy to join us in the Zoom meeting space. We will be providing a live public feed with the link available via the Chiefs of Ontario YouTube channel, which will go live once our meeting commences.

Chiefs may also choose to have fellow community leadership and staff join them in-person, in a socially distanced, respectful manner, to jointly participate in the meeting using the Chief’s access information.

How do I request to speak during the meeting?

At an in-person meeting of leadership, requests to speak are acknowledged by the Chair when someone stands at a microphone.

In our online space, a request to speak is made using the ‘raise hand’ feature. The order of requests will be tracked, and the Chair will address requests in the order they are received.

For those on the Zoom software, the ‘raise hand’ feature can be found by clicking on participants at the bottom which will open a list of meeting participants, at the bottom of that list is a ‘Raise Hand’ button.

For those joining by phone only the ‘raise hand’ feature can be accessed by pressing *9 on your keypad.

Why is the meeting two half days instead of one full day?     

At the advisement of our meeting Chair, we are keeping the meeting times no longer than 4-5 hours each day to avoid online meeting fatigue.

Where can I find a copy of the agenda?

To find the most recent circulated version of the agenda, go to the website, https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/coo-sca-november.

How will Grand Entry work?

We want to preserve the moment when we honour and reflect on the symbolism of our coming together as nations in solidarity. We are coordinating with a First Nations Drum Group who is going to make recordings specifically for our gathering. During this time, we will display images of our past gatherings and ask everyone to take time to think about all our relations we are coming together for.

How do I bring symbols of my nation’s governance and sacred items into our meeting space?

A leadership gathering is more than the discussions and agenda; it is also an expression of our solidarity; a gathering of our nations. Everyone is encouraged, where possible, to bring symbols of your nationhood with you into the meeting and have your bundle with you.

Why are there no breaks scheduled on the agenda?

The Chair has been given the discretion to call for a break as needed. Breaks are expected to be 10-15 minutes long. The Chair will provide a restart time before commencing the break.

Do I have to turn my camera on?

While it is entirely up to you, we would be more than happy to see you! When you first join the meeting, you will be asked to turn your camera on in order to confirm your identity.

We are encouraging everyone to keep their camera on during the meeting for a greater sense of participation and unity during these troubling times. We also acknowledge that bandwidth may be an issue for some and having your camera on might not be a viable option.

Will my region be hosting a caucus meeting?

At this time, caucus rooms are not being organized by the Chiefs of Ontario. Regions are still welcome to organize or coordinate discussions internally with their respective organizations. If you wish to discuss further, please contact the Chiefs of Ontario’s Director of Policy and Communications, Chris Hoyos at Chris.Hoyos@coo.org.

Why do I keep getting removed from the meeting room?

It is possible our registration team was unable to confirm your identity. Please contact the Chiefs of Ontario via email meetingsupport@coo.org.

What do I do if I’m having technical issues with Zoom?

If you are having technical issues, such as problems with audio, video, materials or connectivity, please contact the Chiefs of Ontario via email meetingsupport@coo.org.

Where can I find relevant documents for this meeting?

Please visit https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/coo-sca-november or email meetingsupport@coo.org with your name and community name in order to request meeting materials.

How do I speak with my representative on the resolutions committee?

You can send a private message to your representative or send them an email. Email addresses for the resolution committee will be available at https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/coo-sca-november.