Natural Resources committee  Good afternoon. I'm pleased to be here today in my capacity as chair of the board of directors of the First Nations Major Projects. I am speaking to you from my home of the Fort Nelson First Nation in Treaty 8 territory. The First Nation Major Projects Coalition is a non-partisan, business-focused coalition of over 85 first nation members from across the country.

Natural Resources committee  There's definitely no single solution to achieving the net-zero emissions. There are several parallel paths and technologies that need to be employed. The First Nations Major Projects Coalition doesn't take a position on whether caps should be applied to other sectors, but we often offer the best advice that first nations need to be a part of the process in all sectors.

Natural Resources committee  Yes, I also believe that when people are coming to invest in our territories, true partnership is partnership with the indigenous communities that are affected. I think the truest form of consent is showing that you want to work with our communities. I want to open up the floor to Mark, if he has a comment on that.

Natural Resources committee  I think it would probably be best to refer the first question to Mark Podlasly, who's worked directly with our communities.

Natural Resources committee  I definitely believe that they should be. Indigenous people have been here for thousands of years and we have been left behind for decades. As we change policy, it's really important that we're heavily involved in making those decisions because they impact our territories. As we move into the future, we know that with the renewable energy market, you're going to need to have more access to the mining material as you transition to lithium batteries and all those things.

Natural Resources committee  My name is Chief Sharleen Gale. I'm chief of the Fort Nelson First Nation, and I'm also the chair of the board of directors for the First Nations Major Projects Coalition. I am here in my role as the chair of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition. I'm with Mark Podlasly, who is from the Nlaka'pamux First Nation, also known as Cook's Ferry.

Transport committee  Thank you. Our organization doesn't take a position for or against a particular project, because we're not a political organization. We leave the opportunities and the comments in the hands of the community leaders and their elders and their members to be the best spokespersons on issues relating to what kinds of projects they want to be involved in.

Transport committee  I am going to ask my colleague, Niilo, who works directly with our communities as the executive director of our organization.

Transport committee  More or less, the government hasn't really addressed the gap for indigenous communities. Right now we need more planning money, not just money for hardware. We need capacity and planning money directly on the ground in the communities where these issues are happening, because currently the funding is really scarce.

Transport committee  Our members have been advocating for equity ownership in projects for a long time. There are many reasons for this, because equity means partnership, and a lot of our projects that our first nations are working on are missing that partnership piece. Partnerships allow us to have a say in all aspects of the projects.

Transport committee  We all know that the environmental impacts are very important when it comes to making decisions on infrastructure projects for first nations. It's more beneficial when first nations have a say from the ground up into the boardroom level, and also with having the opportunity to be involved in the project from one.

Transport committee  Good afternoon, everyone. I want to begin by acknowledging that I'm speaking to you from the unceded Treaty 8 territory of my home, Fort Nelson First Nation, located in the northeast corner of British Columbia. With me today is coalition executive director, Niilo Edwards, who leads our organization's service delivery to our members.