Our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen-Toews, drove home a tragic history lesson toward reconciliation, in an online discussion hosted by the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce: Resource Champions: Creating Indigenous Prosperity.
“We are in the era of Reconciliation. It’s in the air, it’s everywhere . . . (but) just in relation to the question about how can mainstream small and medium businesses contribute to economic reconciliation, first off, I think there needs to be a genuine understanding of our past.
“We cannot undo the past, but we can learn from it and work with Indigenous communities and I think one of the ways they can do that is by having the desire to learn about our history.”
She began with the “Indian Residential Schools”:
“This stuff really happened to us. What was meant for schools and learning and education became burial grounds for our people. . . . Imagine yourself, each of you that have children on this call, your three-year-old baby being taken away in the back of a cattle truck, not to be seen for 10 months. A three-year old baby. That was our reality. “And then we’re expected to perform in mainstream society like nothing happened to us.”
However, she continued: “Don’t feel sorry for us. Come alongside us and ask, ‘How can we help? How can we become your ally? How can we help promote healing within your community? How can we help you build capacity within your community?’
“I think when we come to partner and collaborate on all of these different issues communities face . . . that’s where we start to build those bridges, build those roads of trust. . . .
“You’re going to have to take that History 101 on Indigenous People because there’s no way around it. . . . You’ve got to sit and talk with us. You’ve got to build those relationships, and learn about what Reconciliation is. Learn about UNDRIP, learn about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, learn (about) the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and come from a place of understanding.
“I think that’s really important, not only to us, but to everyone else in Canada. And I think we’re in this new era, this new space, and we’ve got to start building that new ground for good, prosperous relationships.”
- Watch the full discussion: https://youtube.com/watch?v=RA7XUGWVCo4
Thumbs up for Cedar LNG
In a landmark report, BC’s Environmental Assessment Office says the Haisla Nation’s Cedar LNG project ‘would not have significant adverse effects on GHG emissions,’ and ‘could have a positive impact on GHG emissions globally,’ by replacing coal to produce power overseas.
The draft report noted:
“Cedar LNG could have a positive impact on GHG emissions globally, if the importing countries were to use the natural gas as a replacement for coal in power production, due to the fact that natural gas-fired electricity generation results in approximately 40 percent less GHG emissions than coal-fired electricity generation. . . .
“Cedar LNG’s key mitigation measure to use B.C. Hydro’s clean grid electricity provides significant GHG emissions reductions and may offer further reductions as renewable electricity expands.
“Cedar LNG is likely to be one of, if not the lowest emission intensity producers of LNG globally, largely because of its reliance on clean B.C. electricity.”
As well: “The Cedar LNG net-zero emissions plan . . . addresses Cedar LNG’s emissions from construction, operations, and decommissioning. Cedar has stated that they will reduce GHG emissions by 30 percent by 2030 (relative to the baseline 2019 emissions).
“To offset the remaining GHG emissions, ensuring Cedar LNG reaches net-zero by 2050, Cedar plans to purchase offset credits; however, in the future Cedar will consider alternative options to meet Canada’s net-zero by 2050 target.”
- See pages 385-398 of the report at http://ow.ly/vep650Lj4px
First Nations at world climate conference
Members of the BC-based First Nations Climate Initiative (FNCI) headed to the UN’s COP27 conference in Egypt to present their climate-action plan that features Indigenous-led solutions.
FNCI members from Haisla, Nisga’a and Halfway River, and an FNCI resolutions facilitator, joined Canada’s official delegation.
FNCI’s climate plan highlights investment in nature-based solutions to address climate-change impacts and ecosystem restoration, and outlines seven recommendations to achieve a low carbon economy in BC.
A report in Houston Today noted: “The FNCI’s suggested actions include expanding the carbon markets and investing in expanding the 500 KV northwest energy transmission grid to provide more renewable energy. They are also asking for increased tax incentives and direct government investment for demonstration projects to support the development and growth of new low-carbon and negative-emission energy systems.”
- The Houston Today story: http://ow.ly/JjWa50LvzJF
- CBC story: http://ow.ly/9VIP50LwiB3
- And the FNCI’s website: https://www.fncionline.com/
The First Nations Major Projects Coalition also had representatives at the conference. The coalition’s chair, Chief Sharleen Gale of the Fort Nelson First Nation, took the stage to call for “reconciliaction” rather than endless inaction.
And, speaking of climate solutions, the City of Prince Rupert has entered an MOU with Lax Kw’alaams, Metlakatla and Pattern Energy to explore the feasibility of a hydrogen facility on Watson Island — to be fully powered by wind energy: http://ow.ly/p9Pk50LvlEc
ALSO IN THE NEWS
- Report: Supplying Canadian LNG to Asia could reduce emissions by the equivalent of removing every vehicle from Canadian roads: http://ow.ly/WALT50LwfFn The full report: http://ow.ly/Qpth50LwfFl
- Coastal GasLink says it’s ‘well-positioned to complete the pipeline by the end of 2023.’ Watch their video: https://vimeo.com/763853362
- Enbridge sets a $3.6-billion BC pipeline expansion as gas production nears record levels: http://ow.ly/UVei50LvgFX
- Natural-gas firms press for BC deal with First Nations so Montney drilling can begin again: http://ow.ly/8oxI50LryQL See also: Montney Shale natural-gas output poised to more than double: http://ow.ly/rHBm50LmQlG
- BC to establish a new British Columbia Energy Regulator, with at least one Indigenous director: http://ow.ly/Avxa50Lnos3
- Mexico is going to be a big LNG exporter sooner than Canada, and some of the gas will come from Canada: http://ow.ly/WoWN50LxPvm
- Canada could hire 100,000 nurses and provide First Nations universal clean water with far less than a year of LNG royalties/taxes from a single pipeline: http://ow.ly/mOFK50Lrz6v
DATES
- Our next webinar: Best Practices on Economic Reconciliation, is coming up Nov. 22 at 10am PST. Join us to explore such questions as: Is there a difference between reconciliation and economic reconciliation? Is it possible to have one without the other? How do we best get to reconciliation? Register here today: http://ow.ly/P5t350LwylN
- Clean Energy BC’s First Nations Energy Summit 2023 is scheduled for Jan. 17-18, in Vancouver: http://ow.ly/nBzM50Lx6wZ
- Registration is open for the 20th annual BC Natural Resources Forum, Jan. 17-19 at Prince George: http://ow.ly/4Irx50LyLRo
- Indigenous Nexus 2023 (“Bringing common sense and sensible environmentalism to natural-resource development”) takes place Jan. 25-26 in Calgary: http://ow.ly/9oMv50Ly5YC
- New dates have been set for the National Coalition of Chiefs’ Clean Energy Summit: now Feb. 16-17, 2023, Tsuut’ina Nation (near Calgary). Info/Register: http://ow.ly/xwmn50Lqhgg
- The seventh Indigenous Resource Opportunities Conference is scheduled for Feb. 28-March 1: https://www.bciroc.ca/
- The First Nation’s Major Projects Coalition has set its 2023 Values Driven Economy Conference for April 24-25 in Vancouver. Early-bird discount ends Dec. 15. Register here: http://ow.ly/aKUX50KKKnh
- The Canada Gas and LNG Exhibition and Conference runs May 9-11, 2023, in Vancouver: http://ow.ly/YxcZ50LjFM1
- The Forward Summit’s 2023 event is set for May 17-18, at the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino near Calgary. Registration: http://ow.ly/Q8ZV50K7FYb (Note that there’s an Indigenous discount.)
- The Global Energy Show is set for Calgary June 13-15, 2023. Info: http://ow.ly/UvTL50LjFlM
- The Carbon Capture Canada convention comes to Edmonton, Sept. 19-21, 2023; http://ow.ly/UBnw50LjFu0
- And the International Gas Research Conference will be held in Banff AB in May 2024. Our Karen Ogen-Toews is on the national organizing committee. Conference website: https://igrc2024.org/
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