Feds should fund indigenous environmental guardians network

OTTAWA—When it comes to protecting the land, water, flora, and fauna around mining operations, companies use a wide range of tools, technologies, and expertise. Increasingly, that expertise comes in the form of traditional knowledge from local indigenous communities. But innovative solutions are needed to enable communities to contribute on a larger scale. What we’re talking about is generating shared benefits. Companies are seeking traditional knowledge to help manage their environmental impacts and to respect the ways of life of the communities where they operate, and indigenous communities are eager to provide it. Our member companies have made great strides in formalizing indigenous engagement in their day-to-day operations through our Towards Sustainable Mining initiative. However, we believe private sector actions could be complemented by a powerful new opportunity at the federal level: funding for the proposed National Indigenous Guardians Network. Just consider what a similar program has done in Australia. In 2007, the Australian government launched its Working on Country initiative as part of its national reconciliation strategy. Now, more than 100 indigenous ranger programs operate across the country, helping protect cultural sites, manage fires, control invasive species, and conserve biodiversity. Researchers studying Australia’s indigenous rangers have found that for every $1 invested, the programs create $3 in social, economic, and cultural value. Those benefits include reduced social assistance payments and lower crime rates. Indigenous guardians have had success in Canada too. Vale’s Voisey’s Bay mine in Labrador—the world’s biggest nickel mine—works closely with the Innu Nation’s Minashkuat Kanakutuatak Guardians. Indigenous monitors working on site helped build community support for the project during negotiations. Now those guardians have full access to the mine site as independent, third-party observers. They report their findings to the community, and they relay community input back to the mine. Canadian government investments can make this commonplace across the country. Indigenous guardians would monitor ecological health and protect sensitive species, and would maintain traditional sites and interpret cultural heritage for visitors. They would connect youth with elders and train the next generation of leaders. And they would create land-use plans that reflect the cultural values and economic goals of their communities. All of these skills help First Nations engage as active partners. With boots on the ground and in the boardroom, indigenous guardians strengthen communication between leadership, community members, and companies interested in accessing resources. Canada’s mining industry has prioritized indigenous inclusion for many decades. This has resulted in the industry becoming the largest private sector employer of indigenous Canadians. It has also translated into more than 350 active impact benefit or other agreements between indigenous communities and mining companies, many of which include indigenous environmental monitoring near our activities. But the reality is that such project-specific arrangements—even in combination with company commitments made through the Towards Sustainable Mining program—cannot provide on their own the breadth of monitoring nor build the capacity needed to empower indigenous nations to manage their affairs. The National Indigenous Guardians Network can help fill the gap. The network will support the roughly 30 indigenous guardian programs already operating in Canada and create more than 200 more programs. It will provide consistent funding for guardian programs, allowing them to shift beyond the grant-to-grant cycle and leverage outside funds. It will offer professional training for guardians in data collection, water quality monitoring, geographic information systems mapping, and countless other expertise used to create land-use plans and assess development proposals. And it will foster the skills necessary to build trust between communities and companies so important to enabling development to proceed—and succeed. Strengthening these capacities through the National Indigenous Guardians Network will contribute to sustainable mineral development and will support Canada’s reconciliation efforts. The ability to manage the land is at the heart of healthy communities. And strong, healthy indigenous communities make good partners. Pierre Gratton is president and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada. The Hill Times

Feds should fund indigenous environmental guardians network

Researchers studying a similar Australian program suggested that for every $1 invested, $3 in social, economic, and cultural value is created.

Time for a shift: Canada must treat Alzheimer’s like other progressive diseases

Canada faces a cybersecurity crisis with critical infrastructure at risk

Let Ukraine strike back

Who’s standing up to the danger of World War III?

The sad saga of Afghan-Canadian military advisers

Between wars and fears of fascism in the U.S., there’s plenty to be scared about

Demand for critical minerals in EV batteries requires faster mining project approvals: stakeholders

Advocates at biodiversity conference push back against plan to expedite approvals for critical minerals mines

Guilbeault, Suzuki see Indigenous leadership role in biodiversity protection at COP15

Canadian Rangers should have their maritime mission

Demand for critical minerals ‘the greatest opportunity in a generation’ for Indigenous communities, says First Nations coalition

News

Get free news updates

Opinion

Submit a guest opinion article

resources

Advertise

subscribe

get help

Feds should fund indigenous environmental guardians network

Researchers studying a similar Australian program suggested that for every $1 invested, $3 in social, economic, and cultural value is created.

Get The Policy Briefings Newsletter