Administration and Finance

This past year, RHW continued to strengthen its administrative and financial foundations as the coordinating secretariat for the 21 First Nations party to the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850. With a mandate grounded in treaty accountability and nation-to-nation coordination, our operational work reflects the trust placed in us by the Ogimaak and their communities.

Administrative overview

RHW operates as a non-political coordination body, providing technical, administrative, and event management support to the Robinson Huron Treaty First Nations. During this reporting period, the secretariat maintained staffing capacity across its core functional areas including governance support, event management, information technology, and financial administration.

Financial stewardship

The 2025–2026 fiscal year represented a foundational transition in how RHW manages its financial operations. A central focus of this period was building the internal capacity and systems necessary for RHW to operate as a fully independent entity; a milestone that will be realized in the 2026–2027 fiscal year.

Previously, RHW operated under the administrative and financial umbrella of Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal Council, and was included in their annual audit. This arrangement provided important early support to the secretariat during its formative years. Over the course of 2025–2026, RHW worked with a dedicated financial professional to develop the systems, processes, and internal capacity required to manage its own finances going forward. The 2026–2027 fiscal year marks the first in which RHW will conduct its own independent financials, a significant organizational milestone that reflects the maturing of the secretariat as a standalone entity.

Mamaweswen will continue to provide transitional administrative support to RHW while the secretariat completes this transition, with full operational independence anticipated within the next fiscal year. This phased approach reflects a thoughtful and responsible path to self-sufficiency.

Throughout the reporting period, RHW operated within its approved operational budgets. Budgets and workplans for the 2026–2027 fiscal year were developed by the RHW team and approved by leadership, positioning the organization for a strong and well-resourced year ahead.

Audit and financial accountability

RHW follows standard accounting practices in the management of its financial affairs. All financial reporting to leadership is current, accurate, and reflective of the mandates and guidance provided by the Ogimaak in Assembly and the Political Working Group.

Infrastructure and operations

RHW recognizes that a secure, reliable, and well-managed information technology infrastructure is not simply an operational requirement, it is a matter of responsibility to the Nations we serve. As RHW’s work expands, so does the volume and sensitivity of the information entrusted to us. A clear example of this responsibility is the Use and Occupancy Mapping project, through which citizens of our member First Nations have shared personal information directly with our team. Protecting that data, and all information held by RHW, requires deliberate investment in systems, security practices, and trusted partnerships. With that foundational commitment in mind, 2025–2026 was a year focused on laying the groundwork for a strengthened IT environment going forward. This included:

Establishing a managed IT services agreement with a reputable, locally based company, with a particular focus on organizational security. The 2025–2026 fiscal year was primarily dedicated to
laying the groundwork for this partnership, with full implementation planned for 2026–2027 and ongoing
Implementation of secure communications and cloud infrastructure to support remote and hybrid work across the secretariat
Implementation of Voice-over-IP telephony, ensuring all RHW staff have access to a modern, flexible communications system regardless of location
Ongoing review of data sovereignty considerations in alignment with First Nations information governance principles

Governance

The 2025–2026 fiscal year marked a significant period of governance development for RHW. The secretariat supported the Ogimaak in Assembly, the collective decision-making body of the 21 Robinson Huron Treaty First Nations, through major milestones in formal governance structure, treaty advocacy, and inter-governmental engagement.