Reconciliation should not be the stuff of soothing platitudes Is it time to rethink indigenous land acknowledgements that often open energy-sector conference sessions? Are we ready to question their utility and effectiveness in advancing the interests of Canada’s indigenous peoples? Are they moving the reconciliation needle – or have they become little more than meaningless,…
Ksi Lisims LNG to benefit First Nations while helping reduce world emissions The Nisga’a Nation and its partners in a major proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in British Columbia have been granted federal approval for exports through 2060 and beyond. The $10 billion Ksi Lisims LNG project, a floating terminal to be located about…
An eye-opening description of Aboriginal culture as it was in the 1880s John McLean was a Christian missionary who lived for nine years with the Blood (Kainai) Indians in present-day Southern Alberta, learning their language, customs and traditions. In 1889, at the request of the Smithsonian Institution, he wrote The Indians of Canada, a balanced…
But until all wounds caused by genocide are healed, we cannot be satisfied On October 27, a motion was unanimously passed in the Canadian Parliament recognizing what happened in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools as genocide according to Article II of the United Nations Genocide Convention. It should be noted that this is a culmination of…
But Trudeau government's emissions cap threatens future prosperity
A massive milestone has been reached in the growing trend of Indigenous people taking ownership of Canadian oil and gas projects. Twenty-three First Nations and Métis communities in northern Alberta are investing $1.1 billion to become part owners of seven Enbridge oil sands pipelines. It’s described as the largest energy-related Indigenous partnership transaction in North…
The right choice is staring us in the face
If First Nations are to have a chance at seeing real self-determination, equity deals in natural resource development must be part of the conversation. Having ownership of the projects taking place on our land not only gives us own-source revenue but also gives us the ability to have a seat at the table and be…
Tens of billions of dollars in wages, contracts and own source revenues are at risk
On July 18, the federal government announced a plan to reduce emissions from the oil and gas sector by 42 per cent in just eight years. To meet such targets, this policy would effectively stop all new projects in the oil and gas sector, as well as curtail existing ones. This would dramatically affect global…
Segregation and special rights have always been the problem. Integration has always been the answer
The Sanderson murders are receiving a lot of media attention, as they should. Much has been written about the government policy of pretending that truly dangerous people, like these brothers, are victims, and returning them to Indigenous communities, where they inevitably victimize residents. Claiming this cruel policy – killing with kindness – somehow helps Indigenous…
Ottawa must bring in legislation to ensure the project gets built now more than ever
Ottawa needs to finally declare through legislation that the Trans Mountain Expansion Project is to the national advantage of Canada. Doing so would prove to the Canadian public and Indigenous communities that the federal government is serious about seeing it completed. Make no mistake, killing the project would be devastating for many Indigenous communities along…
But the temptation to allow old-school First Nation politics into the system must be avoided
Manitobans should be cautiously optimistic about a deal that will transfer health care for Indigenous communities in the province to a regional Indigenous authority. If done properly and not politicized, a deal between the federal government, the Manitoba government and First Nations in southern Manitoba could really improve health care for Indigenous communities in the…