Natural Resources Committee on April 2nd, 2019

Evidence of meeting #131 for Natural Resources in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ngarrindjeri.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

International Best Practices for Engaging with Indigenous Communities Regarding Major Energy Projects

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Isaac Laboucan-Avirom Chief, Woodland Cree First Nation

Craig Benjamin Campaigner, Indigenous Rights, Amnesty International Canada

Dawn Madahbee Leach Vice-Chair, National Indigenous Economic Development Board

Steve Hemming Associate Professor, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, As an Individual

5:30 p.m.

Vice-Chair, National Indigenous Economic Development Board

Dawn Madahbee Leach

In my own region near Sudbury, we have the Wahnapitae First Nation. It owns its own environmental company, which does all the environmental testing of the waterways and the lakes around the Sudbury region through contracts with the many mining companies in the area. This is a company that's owned by the community. It employs young indigenous people who have studied the environment and biology and have the expertise to do all the testing. I think that's one element. They report back to the community on all their findings. I think that's one example.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL

Thanks, Ms. Leach.

I'll give Dr. Hemming the last word on joint management of resources in Australia.

5:30 p.m.

Associate Professor, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, As an Individual

Dr. Steve Hemming

There's a program called indigenous protected areas in Australia. It is a pretty successful program. It's a mechanism for identifying an area and bringing multiple groups together to start to manage it as a natural resource management space and a protected space. A number of those have been declared in Australia, and they're very effective.

I think the mining industry has moved and shifted to develop some significant innovations working with indigenous nations across Australia. In the Ngarrindjeri context, they have basically built up a co-management relationship with the state that isn't fully recognized at this point. A hand-back of national parks occurs in some places and then there's co-management, but it's different across Australia, and it's different depending on the histories of indigenous opportunities under land rights, mining and other spaces. I think it's behind in relation to other settled societies such as the U.S., Canada and New Zealand in some contexts.

Indigenous leaders have really led the way. There's been a huge amount of work from indigenous nations to try to change the situation. There are some really interesting innovations that have been developed out of virtually nothing. It's an interesting example in Australia. When you don't have treaty rights, you don't have many rights at all, so what kinds of things can you negotiate? I think it's worth looking at Australia for that reason.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL

As always, Mr. Chair, we don't have enough time to get to interesting points such as capacity development, but maybe we can in the next meeting.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal James Maloney

Thank you, Mr. Whalen.

Both of you, thank you very much. I know your contributions will prove to be very significant.

I'm very grateful for your taking the time to be here, Ms. Leach.

Professor, you're just starting your day, so good day. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for joining us.

What time is it there, just out of curiosity?

5:30 p.m.

Associate Professor, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, As an Individual

Dr. Steve Hemming

It's 8:03 in the morning.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal James Maloney

Okay, so it's not that bad.

The meeting is adjourned.