Province eyes better links between resource sector and First Nations
The province will revamp how the resource sector interacts with Indigenous communities before projects get underway, says Alberta’s Indigenous relations minister.
“They’ll come forward and say, ‘Sure you want to dig that hole and this is how it’s going to affect our ability to practise our traditional hunting, fishing, trapping, or other ceremonial rites … or just to live our lives,’” Indigenous Relations Minister Richard Feehan said in an interview Tuesday. “From that, we’ll have a process where the industry and the nations talk about, ‘So what do we do about this?’”
Feehan spoke at the annual Western Indigenous Consultation and Engagement meeting Tuesday, where he told a 60-person crowd that there isn’t a strong set of policies to guide land and resource extraction affecting Indigenous communities.
The government is creating eight sets of recommendations — there could be more by late spring — that will include information such as what role Indigenous communities have in land and resource projects, as well as who needs to be contacted and in what time frame, Feehan said. The proposed rules will also look at how to finance ongoing conversations.
He said ultimately the question will be whether the outcome of a project reflects Indigenous concerns — “that’s a big piece to bite off, but we’re trying to move on it.
“We won’t actually write the policy until we’ve had some pretty solid conversations about how people feel about moving in those particular directions,” he added.
Discussions with Indigenous communities and industry stakeholders over the last two years will inform the recommendations, Feehan said. The ministry of energy as well as the ministry of environment and parks have also been involved.
Tuesday’s Canadian Institute event came on the heels of a speech by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said the federal government will develop a framework to improve Indigenous rights and give communities greater autonomy.
A federal government representative reiterated the message in Edmonton on Tuesday, but said the process won’t start from scratch.
“This engagement process is building on decades of advocacy work by Indigenous leaders and communities,” Joe Wild, senior assistant and deputy minister at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, said in a speech.
At least one conference participant wasn’t satisfied with the federal government approach, asking Wild: “How can we even trust you?”