Q & A with David de Launay, ADM Ring of Fire – (Onotassiniik Magazine – Summer 2013)

OnotassiniikWawatay’s Mining Quarterly, sets out to provide knowledge and information about the mining industry in northern Ontario to First Nations communities, individuals and leaders throughout the region.

David de Launay is the Assistant Deputy Minister, Ring of Fire – Community Relations – Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines

David de Launay is a member of the Ontario’s Ring of Fire Secretariat. As an assistant deputy minister, de Launay is responsible for “community and government relations.” He replaced Deborah Richardson of Pabineau First Nation on the Secretariat after she announced in January she was taking a two-year leave from the Ontario government. Richardson had filled the position in August when Harvey Yesno left it for his successful bid to become grand chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

Prior to joining the Secretariat, de Launay’s assistant deputy minister duties for the Cabinet Office of Ontario involved reviewing oil and gas pipeline development. He has spent most of his career working within the Ontario government in Aboriginal Affairs and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Bryan Phelan, Onotassiniik editor, asked him in March about his important new role with the Ring of Fire Secretariat.

Q In your current position as assistant deputy minister – Ring of Fire, what is your role in dealing with First Nations? Approximately how much of your work time is now based in Thunder Bay?

A I anticipate about half of my time will be spent in Thunder Bay and the communities affected by the Ring of Fire.
The focus of my work with First Nations and their organizations is to look at community readiness, regional infrastructure such as roads and transmission, and resource revenue sharing.

Other critical partners include the federal government, municipalities such as Thunder Bay and Greenstone, colleges and universities, and the private sector.
Q Your LinkedIn profile summary refers to an ability to “negotiate and facilitate solutions in bilateral or multilateral processes with governments, industry, stakeholders, and Aboriginal interests.” Please provide an example (and explanation) from your past experience that best illustrates this.

A I was very involved with Cree First Nations on James Bay in the early 1990s addressing hydroelectric development, environmental concerns, economic development, and Treaty and Aboriginal rights.

Between 1993 and 2012 I worked at Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources, spending part of that time as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Field Services, which was later renamed the Regional Operations Division. I was deeply involved in the Far North Initiative. I also worked with Grassy Narrows First Nation on forestry and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation on commercial fishing; in both cases, developing a framework agreement.

I have also worked with non-Native communities. In Elliott Lake I took part in the transformation of the town after the closure of the uranium mines and in Kapuskasing, the employee-Tembec takeover of the Spruce Falls mill. More recently in Thunder Bay I had a role in the creation of the Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy.

So far, my most complex file was between 1999 and 2005 when I led Ontario’s negotiations with Quebec and the eight Great Lakes states in the development of agreements to protect the Great Lakes.

Q Your profile also refers to you as being “value-centred.” What core values do you bring to the job?

A I fundamentally believe that we have to leave the world a better place than we found it, that we have to work with all sectors of society to achieve social, environmental and economic progress, and that on a personal level, we must strive to understand and respect each other, to build trust, and create relationships of mutual responsibility and accountability.

Q What interests you most about your current job?

A Northerners, especially First Nations, have an unprecedented opportunity for environmentally-sound economic and social growth with the potential mining development in the Ring of Fire. We have companies with real project proposals. The federal and provincial governments are willing and ready to go. First Nations are supportive. When you have all those parties potentially aligning, that creates a great opportunity that you don’t want to miss.

Q What do you consider your most important contribution during your time as an assistant deputy minister for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs? Why?

A My most important contribution during my time at Aboriginal Affairs was to bring my experience to the development of land and resource policy. In particular, I was able to help develop the foundations for an approach to resource benefit sharing that will guide government discussions with
First Nations.

Q Leading the Far North initiative as an assistant deputy minister with the MNR involved “extensive outreach and negotiation with Nishnawbe Aski Nation and many community leaders.” Please describe some of your key outreach and negotiation activities.

A From 2007 to 2010, I led negotiations with Nishnawbe Aski Nation. My counterparts for NAN were Doug Semple, then Frank Beardy. Tribal council leaders such as Frank McKay, Margaret Kenequanash and Gerry McKay were also very involved, along with grassroots people. I spent many meetings with political leaders like Grand Chief Stan Beardy and Grand Chief Stan Louttit, and chiefs from across the Far North. My team and I also visited northern communities such as Sandy Lake, Cat Lake, Slate Falls, Muskrat Dam, Wunnumin Lake, and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug.

Q The Far North Advisory Council that met in 2008-09 was a diverse group (environmental organizations, resource-based industry associations, and the electrical power sector). What was the biggest challenge of chairing such a diverse group and how did you approach that challenge to arrive at “consensus advice.”

A The government’s approach in the Far North initiative was to have direct negotiations with NAN and its First Nations, but to also seek advice from stakeholders, which were organized, as you point out, into an advisory council. The biggest challenge was to get groups to go beyond their positions, seek out common interests and work positively to move forward. And when the going got tough, we would return to the commonly held views and principles that development should occur in an environmentally sustainable way that benefits Ontarians and, in the Far North, First Nations.
Like any relationship, trust had to develop, which takes time. Out of those relationships, individuals from both the development and protection sides of the discussion emerged to help craft a consensus approach.

Q How does/can the Far North Act benefit First Nations in the Ring of Fire and elsewhere in Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) territory?

A The Far North Act is the first time in Ontario’s history that First Nations approve an activity, in this case land use planning. It gives a tool to communities to control their destiny. They can plan in a large geography beyond their reserve for areas open to development and areas that will be protected for cultural, spiritual or environmental purposes as determined by the community jointly working with the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Q How many NAN communities have you been able to visit in your current role? During your career?

A In my first six weeks with the Ring of Fire Secretariat, I have I have met with chiefs and others in Thunder Bay and Toronto and plan to visit communities over the next few weeks.

In my career, I have visited half of the 49 NAN communities; some, like Moose Cree and MoCreebec, many times.

Q What is the most important thing you’ve learned from Aboriginal leaders / people during your career?

A The two most important things I have learned are: first, to listen, to try to really understand and to hear from everybody; and second, to always think of future generations.

Q How do you balance your demanding work responsibilities with your interest in music? (de Launay worked for more than decade as a professional musician, on keyboards. He currently plays in three bands: the classic rock Painted Dogs; Big Trouble, a blues-rock outfit; and G Street Trio, which plays jazz.)

A Music, like work, is a passion. But it is clearly a hobby, and – excuse the bad pun – plays second fiddle to my responsibilities in the Ring of Fire Secretariat. It does allow me to express myself in a different way. The Ontario Public Service is very supportive of staff developing their multifaceted talents.