Indigenous self-determination is a clear priority within the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) that the federal government has embraced and introduced as legislation with Bill C-15. The Bill has recently passed the third reading in the House of Commons.
But, as this new paper by Heather Exner-Pirot for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute highlights, truly reversing the barriers and limitations imposed on Indigenous Canadians by colonialism requires allowing full engagement in the natural resource economy.
“Full self-determination isn’t possible without economic self-determination. And economic self-determination for many Indigenous peoples means engagement with a thriving resource sector.”
While there may be a popular narrative that Indigenous people and the natural resources are inherently at odds, this is not true, argues Exner-Pirot. Indigenous businesses are 40 times more likely than the average Canadian business to operate in the extractive sector, and oil and gas occupations pay Indigenous employees about four times the average wage across all sectors.
The report includes the following recommendations for easing Indigenous participation in the resource sector:
- Remove bureaucratic barriers for resource development in Indigenous territories that make it difficult for Indigenous communities and businesses to attract investment;
- Build the capacity of Indigenous nations to lead projects themselves;
- Improve access to financing to participate as equity stakeholders in projects;
- Strengthen Indigenous economic rights and support the ability of Indigenous nations to say yes to development if they so choose.
