Indigenous peoples want to have a say in their economic future, and governments need to get out of the way.
Instead, Prime Minister Trudeau promoted an ideological narrative aligned with extremist environmental policies. One example is Bill C-48, which in 2019 banned oil tankers from operating off British Columbia's north coast. In testimony before the Senate Transport and Communications Committee, then-Transportation Minister Marc Garneau argued that those supporting Bill C-48: “This is a confederation of all remaining indigenous communities along the coast, including the Haida, Heiltsuk, Haisla, Metlakatla, Gitgat, Kitasoo, Gichaara, and even the hereditary leaders of the Rax-Kwalaam. , which happens to be the majority.
The problem with Garneau's argument was that Metlakatla denied supporting Bill C-48. When the Minister was asked about this at his next committee appearance, he said he could not remember what he originally said.
We have seen this story battle over and over again.
- When the dispute arose over B.C.'s Coastal GasLink pipeline, it was clear that the project had approval from both the province and the 20 First Nations band councils that had signed agreements supporting the project, and that First Nations communities The purchase of a 10% stake in the pipeline fell on deaf ears. They wanted to join the project and buy a larger share.
- In 2016, the government banned new offshore oil and gas licenses in Canada's Arctic waters. The premiers of both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut criticized the decision as patronizing, lacking local consultation, and harmful to the territories' devolution negotiations.
- Eleven British Columbia First Nations leaders have voiced their support for liquefied natural gas projects, saying, “The difficult economic circumstances of Indigenous communities and peoples must be balanced against comprehensive but impersonal climate-related goals.'' must be taken into account.''
- On April 2nd, Reuters published an article highlighting the fact that Indigenous business groups have indicated their intention to buy stakes in energy projects such as the Trans Mountain Pipeline and Coastal GasLink at an accelerating pace. . The Tribe recently signed agreements with Enbridge, Suncor and Pembina for Cedar LNG, an export project majority-owned by the Haisla Tribe. They want to do more.
However, the Trudeau government routinely ignores Indigenous people's “yes” when it comes to resource development. As a matter of fact, Indigenous workers make up 3.9% of Canada's workforce, while in the energy sector they make up 6.9%. This figure is also high in the mining and aquaculture sectors.
The proportion has soared by 20% since 2014, accounting for an estimated 10,400 jobs in 2020, according to a government discussion paper. The document also notes that $55 million in oil and gas revenue has been collected for First Nations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Alberta. In 2018-2019, Indian Oil and Gas Canada, B.C. As stewards of the land, they want to participate in its responsible use.
In 2016, Chief Joseph Bevan, chair of the Indigenous Major Projects Coalition, who testified on behalf of more than 130 First Nations across Canada, asked members of the Senate Banking, Commerce and Economics Committee several questions. Will the business interests of indigenous peoples affected by large-scale projects be considered in a meaningful way? Can indigenous peoples participate in projects as equity owners and involve us as part of management decisions? Environmental management and large-scale project development that can be established in a way that addresses the unique interests of indigenous peoples. Is there an approach to mitigating the cumulative impact of ”
The Trudeau government needs to make sure that when Indigenous peoples say yes, they listen.
Sen. David M. Wells represents Newfoundland and Labrador in the Senate.
This article is April 18, 2024 Hill Times edition.
