ID: 2044
Presenting Author: Melanie Daniels
Session: 729 - FPIC - How prior is prior?
Status: pending
Through early and meaningful Indigenous cumulative effects work, Indigenous ways of being, doing and knowing are implemented support good outcomes for all of us.
Indigenous Peoples aspire to regain their rightful place as stewards of the land. Since the arrival of Europeans in settler colonial contexts, Indigenous peoples have been removed from participating in decisions around land use and resource development. With the recognition of rights resulting from several court decisions since the 1970s, First Nations, Inuit and Métis have begun to establish formal recognition at resource development tables, including the right to carry out cumulative effects assessment. Assessing CE requires time and appropriate tools.
Indigenous led cumulative effects work is part of strong early engagement planning and is critical for the protection of rights, environments, and meaningful economic participation. Resource developers know years in advance where they plan to develop access resources, making early cumulative effects work of crucial significance. Too often Indigenous peoples are not consulted early, which puts Indigenous groups at a disadvantage as they are not afforded the same lead time to do the work necessary to meaningfully participate.
Early and frequent engagement, including through Indigenous led cumulative effects work, supports reconciliation and reduces regulatory risk. When Indigenous peoples are invited to the table early, projects are more likely to be environmentally sustainable and will support positive outcomes for the land, humans and the economy. This talk demonstrates that through meaningful Indigenous cumulative effects work, our ways of being doing and knowing are implemented support good outcomes for all of us.
Melanie Daniels is Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects.
Coauthor 1: Danielle Wilson