Natural Resources Committee on May 2nd, 2013

[Grand Chief Edward John]

We have been involved in the corporate world, setting up corporations and businesses that allow our people to engage with other businesses and governments.

One of the key things I was asked about earlier in a broad way and I want to bring forward is recommendation one in the longer document I provided. The Supreme Court of Canada talked about governments engaging first nations at the strategic level of planning when you're looking at what to do and examining the resource foundation and the base, to engage first nations at that level, not at the operational level, when someone's looking for a cutting permit, for example, or a road permit. You don't necessarily engage first nations. You will have to there, but you need to engage at the strategic level.

The Haida, for example, have developed these strategic level plans, as have the Tlingit and the Kaska in northern British Columbia. It's an important document for first nations to be able to make decisions about this particular project or another project. It helps those communities come to decisions on a fairly organized and quick basis. Encourage the government to take a look at supporting that kind of initiative.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Things like education and employment would be in that plan.

[Grand Chief Edward John]

Yes, they would be built into that, as well as knowing the land base and what's in it.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Would another Conservative member like to ask questions, or are we finished with the meeting?

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

If the Conservatives don't want to use their round, we have another five minutes for the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Sure. Go ahead.

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Awesome. Wow, what a freebie. Thank you.

Grand Chief Edward John, in the document you tabled, in the section on recommendations regarding environmental assessment reforms, in recommendation C you say that the government should, “Discuss immediate projects of concern that First Nations feel are not yet resolved”. You give the example of the Prosperity mine proposal.

Are there any other projects of concern that you'd like to flag for the committee?

[Grand Chief Edward John]

The mining industry in British Columbia is a very big industry with opportunities. First nations in different parts of the province have been able to take advantage of those opportunities. In other cases they have been directly opposed to projects because of the impacts that are likely to occur if that project goes ahead, Taseko being one. Amazay Lake in the northern part of the territory where I come from was another project that did not proceed.

Where the first nations' interests are taken into account and they're engaged and involved in the process, the likelihood of that project going ahead increases.

I was talking about the Wet'suwet'en in the western part of their territory where I come from, in Burns Lake. They recently walked away from a mine expansion project because for well over a year they have been unable to get anywhere in the discussions with a mining company. Jobs, training, opportunities: none of that's on the table. Yes, the day before or yesterday they issued a press statement saying that they were walking away from that project and that they would not support it.

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Great. I think that robust environmental assessments make good economic sense.

You mentioned the importance of involving first nations communities at a strategic level. We know there are also various levels of environmental assessments, going from screenings all the way up to strategic environmental assessments.

On that level, what importance would you give to strategic environmental assessments?

[Grand Chief Edward John]

I would think it would be part of the strategic level plans that are developed by and for the first nations by themselves, so they're able to have these fundamental documents that allow them to make and to consider their own proposals and others; that they know the baseline information within their respective territories and are able to make decisions on an informed basis so they can say they can live with a particular project, knowing cumulative impacts have been built in. Knowing what those impacts are is important to the communities.

I strongly encourage that in the interim, when treaties are not completed yet, we have these baseline strategic level plans. I would strongly encourage this committee to consider how you might want to support that concept, as I say, that allows for first nations to be in a position to fully address, respond to, and make necessary decisions on all proposed development initiatives.

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you.

I believe my time has run out.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you all very much.

I'd like to thank the witnesses.

Mr. Rubin, Grand Chief John, and Stephen Brown, thank you all very much for your help. Your input is very useful indeed.

The meeting is adjourned.