A contributing factor to the deplorable housing conditions may be a lack of property rights on reserve
In its recent federal budget the Liberal government committed $227 million in 2016/17 to “address urgent housing needs on reserve,” noting that First Nations people living on reserve are “more likely to experience poor housing conditions and overcrowding than the general public.” In fact, according to recently released data from Statistics Canada, in every province…
Saskatchewan one of the most attractive jurisdictions in the world for mining investment
By Ravina Bains and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute We often hear about First Nation communities in Canada opposing natural resource projects. Whether it’s an LNG plant in British Columbia or mining projects in eastern Canada, the news is full of First Nation opposition to resource development. However, the one jurisdiction that may be the…
77 per cent of respondents for B.C. said that uncertainty from disputed land claims was a deterrent to investment
By Ravina Bains and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute British Columbia has extraordinary mineral potential. In the recent Fraser Institute annual survey of mining companies, mining executives from around the world placed B.C. in the global top 20 in terms of pure mineral potential and overall investment attractiveness, which is a combination of mineral potential…
B.C.'s strong reaction to First Nations' claims to private property may provide assurances to companies and private property owners
The muddy waters of aboriginal land claims and private property rights in British Columbia may have just cleared a little. On Jan. 15, the B.C. government stated its opposition to the Tk’emlups and Skeetchestn bands’ aboriginal title claim on land currently owned by private citizens and mining company KGHM- Ajax, saying it will "vigorously oppose…
The Trudeau government is giving a pass to bands for their lack of financial transparency
The federal government recently chose to lift sanctions and restore salaries for the 43 First Nation chiefs that were not complying with the First Nations Transparency Act and withholding basic financial information from their members and the Canadian public. The First Nations Transparency Act requires chiefs to publicly release the band’s audited financial statements as…
But first, approval must be obtained from the 363 members of Tsawwassen First Nation, 170 of whom do not live on the reserve
By Ravina Bains and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute The Tsawwassen First Nation's proposal to build a liquefied natural gas (LGN) terminal south of Vancouver offers the kind of win-win relationship that could bring prosperity to the First Nation and all of British Columbia. On Nov. 16, the First Nation announced its interest in building…
So why do less than 40% of students on First Nations reserves graduate?
First Nations education is a hot topic. With graduation rates on First Nations reserves below 40 per cent (compared to graduation rates above 80 per cent for all other Canadian students), the issue deserves ample attention from Canadians and the newly elected federal government. Unfortunately, discussions about First Nations education often solely focus on funding…
Both provinces can learn a thing or two from Saskatchewan’s successful relationship with First Nations
By Ravina Bains and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute The mining industry contributes mightily to Canada’s economic prosperity, adding $54 billion to Canada’s GDP and employing roughly 383,000 Canadians at an average annual salary of more than $110,000 in 2013. But Canada has a serious problem with land-use certainty that may threaten future investment in…
In its recent federal budget the Liberal government committed $227 million in 2016/17 to “address urgent housing needs on reserve,” noting that First Nations people living on reserve are “more likely to experience poor housing conditions and overcrowding than the general public.” In fact, according to recently released data from Statistics Canada, in every province…
