ID: 2154
Presenting Author: Janelle Flett
Session: 710 - Indigenous Rights in Impact Assessments: Understanding Impacts Using Gender Based Analysis Plus and UNDRIP
Status: pending
Dissecting the Land Back movement to extinguish misconceptions to find solutions that create reciprocal relations in decision-making processes for resource management.
The term “LandBack” being is used by Indigenous groups and allies to combat negative development and imposed management structures (land and resource management) on otherwise stolen lands. The stories that color the use of the phrase are much bigger than currently grasped by the public. The common misunderstanding (generated by spread of disinformation) suggests that #LandBack means the immediate removal of settlers, homes, and businesses off the land by indigenous peoples. The actual focus is removing the sole authority held by settler-government, to ‘take up’, sell lands, and restoring the ability of Indigenous peoples to be stewards of the lands through the implementation of joint sustainable management practices. The issues impacting our communities are the result of land being treated as a commodity by western systems and a lack of meaningful co-governance models that restore Indigenous peoples to their rightful position of making decisions in the best interest of relevant rights holders and stakeholders. Communities clearly state jurisdictional challenges impede the use of FPIC as a model for development and remove the ability to benefit from resource extraction projects. Addressing disinformation means shifting basis of education,and seeking out reciprocal relationships that prioritize the health of people and the environment. This panel would explore the definition of Land Back and how our understandings of the phrase can be worked into current systems leading to collaboration in land management, especially as the push for mineral exploration grows exponentially.
Young ACFN member, working in the consualtion office of that nation with a background in Environmental Science. Bring a youth perspective with experience working on national policy and community issu