Report urges Canada to seek aboriginal consent for land development

By Nia Williams
CALGARY, Alberta, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A coalition of First
Nations, environmentalists and companies including Canada's
largest oil producer Suncor Energy SU.TO called on Monday for
industry and government to adopt a principle of free, prior and
informed consent (FPIC) when working with indigenous groups.
In a report the Boreal Leadership Council said FPIC - the
right of indigenous people to offer or withhold consent to
development that might impact their territories - is crucial to
ensuring Canada's vast natural resources can be extracted.
Disputes with First Nations communities have contributed to
delays on a number of major energy infrastructure projects, most
notably Enbridge Inc's ENB.TO Northern Gateway pipeline to
Canada's Pacific Coast.
"Canada is establishing an international reputation for
conflict with high profile examples of protest, legal action and
community opposition," said Dave Porter of BC First Nations
Energy and Mining Council. "This report shows there is a
different way forward."
The report, 'Understanding Successful Approaches to Free,
Prior and Informed Consent in Canada', said seeking consent is
central to building trust and transparency between indigenous
communities and government and industry.
Suncor is one of the largest producers in the oil sands,
which are situated in the boreal forests of northern Canada, and
said it welcomed the chance to learn more about what FPIC means
to aboriginal communities.
"What's important to Suncor is that we continue to have
strong, mutually beneficial long term relationships with First
Nations," said Peter MacConnachie from Sustainability Suncor.
The company has been a member of the Boreal Leadership
Council since it was founded in 2003.
Conflict between companies and aboriginal groups is most
widespread in British Columbia, where huge swathes of the
province are subject to land claims.
"There's a tremendous amount of time, money and opportunity
lost by failing to reach agreement and by failing to move
forward on how to work jointly with communities," said Karen
Clarke-Whistler, chief environmental officer of TD Bank Group
TD.TO , another member of the council.
"If you can work it out on the ground in an equitable
fashion then everybody wins."