ENGOs and First Nations: A View of the Horizon and Reconciliation

Published June 19, 2013

by afdubreu

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - and making a connection to the Ring of Fire.

Resolution 66/142 Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly, March 30, 2012 and recognized and reaffirmed several areas including:"...Recognizing the value and the diversity of the cultures and the form of the social organization of indigenous peoples and their holistic traditional scientific knowledge of their lands, natural resources and environment..."

On May 9, 2012 Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Northern Development and Mines stated: "Ontario is blessed with an abundance of natural resources at a time in history when the world is developing faster than ever and demanding these resources. We are taking advantage of this incredible opportunity in the Ring of Fire to further open up Northern Ontario by bringing thousands of jobs, new infrastructure and economic opportunities to cities, towns and First Nations' communities."

The Sustainability Network is pleased to host a dialogue on "ENGOs and First Nations: A View of the Horizon and Reconciliation" in partnership with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. We are inviting our peers and leaders within the environmental, legal, resource and non-profit community to be engaged through a facilitated panel discussion. We will discuss critical environmental elements impacting reconciliation in Canada and how the environmental sector can influence reconciliation going forward.

Panelists will present their perspectives on the current and future climate regarding resource extraction, free, prior and informed consent, Aboriginal relations and more.

Panelists:

• TRC Commissioner Chief Wilton Littlechild, former representative of the United Nations will discuss the role of the TRC and the relevance of the environment in reconciliation.

• Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, Nishanwbe Aski Nation (NAN) will detail NAN's position on the environment including the Ring of Fire and impacts on the future in the north.

• Justin Duncan, Ecojustice - Eastern Program Director and Staff Lawyer will give his perspective as an environmental advocate with an eye on Ontario's Ring of Fire, and impacts to healthy lakes, rivers, wildlife and wilderness.

• Craig Ford was very recently Vice President, Corporate Responsibility at Inmet Resources. He is a strategic, visionary and well regarded corporate responsibility mining executive.

  The panel will be moderated by Jennifer Henry, Executive Director at KAIROS.

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