Prentice’s northern trip leads to more talks

A recent trip by Premier Jim Prentice to meet with Aboriginal leaders in the Fort Chipewyan region has received mixed reaction.

Fort McKay First Nation Chief Jim Boucher lauds Prentice for traveling north on Nov. 10 and meeting with him and his council for close to two hours.

“I think it’s a very important signal from the premier that he’s very concerned about the relationship between the First Nations and the province and our ability to resolve the issues,” said Boucher.

But that’s not how Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam sees it. In fact, Adam accuses Prentice of pitting First Nations against each other, saying that Prentice holds the government will not support initiatives that are not shared by all First Nations.

“It’s because the bureaucrat system plays First Nations off against each other and that’s how government and industry gets its way. And right now Prentice is playing the same tune with a different sound, but it’s the same position and I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere,” said Adam. “I read his body and his body’s basically stating he wanted me to hear the words that came out of his mouth.  I don’t think anything will come to light in the next year.”

On Adam’s agenda was resource revenue sharing and community monitoring for environmental concerns. Adam says Prentice would not give his support for either.

“(Prentice) wants to say … some of the things I brought out to him are not an issue, and those aren’t issues pertaining to him and he wants to deal with it in a different manner. Well then we’re right back to square one,” said Adam.

Environmental concerns and industry development were also issues raised by Boucher, as was the creation of the Aboriginal Consultation Office, as part of former Premier Alison Redford’s mechanism to deal with industry development in traditional First Nations territory. Initially Prentice said he would support the consultation process established by his predecessor. Now he says he will revisit the issue.

Boucher says it is clear that industrial development remains a priority with this government.

“I think the premier has made it very clear, and not only to Albertans but also to us, that his agenda is to ensure that the oil that is being produced in Alberta gets to the market,” said Boucher.

In his first Speech from the Throne, Prentice listed “maximizing the value of our natural resources” as a key principle.

“Our concern is to ensure that we see responsible development,” said Boucher. “I think it’s too late in the game to shut down Suncor and Syncrude and companies that are operating. I think we need to talk about what needs to be done to ensure that the damage be minimized.”

In a press release, Prentice said that Adam, Boucher, Mikisew Cree Nation Chief Steve Courtoreille and the Metis Local 125 President Fred Fraser “have been vocal about the concerns they share about oil sands development. Our discussion has helped me understand these concerns and together we explored possible solutions that could incorporate traditional knowledge into environmental monitoring efforts, how we could work with the community to help them stay healthy, and how we could help support their participation in resource development projects, should they wish it.”

Prentice’s northern trip has led to a commitment from the premier to host a roundtable, which Prentice, who also serves as minister of Aboriginal relations, will chair. Also to attend the roundtable are Chiefs of the Athabasca Tribal Council.

The topics will include land-use planning, environmental monitoring, the pace of industrial development, and the myriad health concerns frequently raised by environmentalists and people living downstream from oil projects.

Boucher is hopeful these talks will lead to something concrete.

“We’re starting to be engaged, we’re continuing to be engaged and I think that at the end of the day, we want to get into a situation where the province is in a win-win situation with the First Nations,” he said.

But Adam does not share Boucher’s optimism.

“To me at this point in time, I don’t think anything will come to fruition in regards to what our issues are in the community of Fort Chip. I think it’s just a one way street here and it’s going down that path right now,” said Adam. “Best just leave it alone and let the courts drag it out and deal with it then.”