The Thompson Citizen, which was established in June 1960, covers the City of Thompson and Nickel Belt Region of Northern Manitoba. The city has a population of about 13,500 residents while the regional population is more than 40,000. editor@thompsoncitizen.net
The chief of Manto Sipi Cree Nation (MSCN) at God’s River in northeastern Manitoba told attendees of the Mining and Minerals Convention in Winnipeg that he opposes the role of the provincial government’s Mining Advisory Council in mining exploration and development in Northern Manitoba.
“When I heard the presentation by the minister’s Mining Advisory Council, I had to speak out because the impression I got was that the advisory council was representing the voice of all First Nations and setting the stage how First Nations will conduct consultation and resource development in their territories,” said Chief Michael Yellowback in a Nov. 20 press release. “I had to set the record straight that Manto Sipi Cree Nation for one will not agree to any decision of the advisory council and the Province of Manitoba on matters of policy, processes or any agreement on resource development.”
Yellowback said Manto Sipi Cree Nation believes that any legislation, regulation, government policy or arrangement that affects First Nation rights is subject to Crown-First nation consultation. The Mining Advisory Council announced and signed a declaration of priorities at the Mining and Minerals Convention on Nov. 19 that included guidelines on consultation, resource development and engagement, establishment of a First Nation Economic Development Corporation and a revenue-sharing mechanism.
“I have no objection to resource development but I will not support policies or arrangements that may at the end of the day be imposed on us,” Yellowback said. “Manto Sipi Cree Nation will object to new approaches to consultation, resource development and engagement, and revenue sharing where consent has not been obtained from MSCN. I support the concept of revenue sharing and it is an intermediate half-step towards the full realization of resource equity management.
Our treaties are testaments that natural resources are to be shared and our rights to subsurface minerals were never the subject of treaty negotiations. I also believe there should be a legal duty to consult by the government of Manitoba on any revenue-sharing arrangement as it relates to our treaties. I strongly remind [Mineral Resources] Minister [Dave] Chomiak that we have our own processes and institutions where we reach agreements collectively. I certainly don’t want the advisory council to pre-empt or affect our negotiations at the community level and ultimately affect our aboriginal and treaty rights. Again, Manto Sipi Cree Nation for one will not accept unilateral imposition on matters relating to resource development on our ancestral lands.”
The Mining Advisory Council includes representatives of First Nations and the mining industry, was created in 2013 to ensure that First Nations that want to participate are always consulted on every aspect of resource development, with specific duties including providing advice and recommendations on resource revenue and benefit sharing with First Nations, promoting and increasing First Nations business opportunities such as joint ventures, participating in training and employment initiatives, strengthening environmental protection and stewardship, and ensuring full consultations continue with First Nations.
Chomiak said at the time it was established that the creation of the council builds on other government initiatives regarding education, training and aboriginal business development such as the $4.6 million Northern Manitoba Mining academy in Flin Flon, more than $13 million worth of orphaned and abandoned mine site rehabilitation projects awarded to First Nations contractors and business owners, and the Mineral Resources Training Program partnership between government, the mining industry and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak that provides pre-employment training in mining-related occupations like prospecting, exploration, mining and environmental management.
Mining is Manitoba’s second-largest resource industry with 40 exploration and mining companies that employ more than 900 aboriginal workers, the province says. In 2012, the combined value of mineral production for metals and industrial minerals in Manitoba was more than $1.5 billion.