Canada aboriginal movement poses new threat to miners

[puckstopshere]

TORONTO (Reuters) - An aboriginal protest movement that's often compared with Occupy Wall Street has the potential to disrupt mining projects across Canada, threatening to undermine the country's coveted reputation for low-risk resource development.

Idle No More, a grass-roots movement with little centralized leadership, swept across Canada late last year with the help social media. Protesters blocked roads and rail lines, and staged big rallies in the country's largest cities to press a sweeping human rights and economic development agenda.

Mining companies are also in the movement's sights as aboriginal bands seek to renegotiate old agreements and seize more control over mining developments, whether they are on lands designated as native reserves or not.

"We've existed in this territory for millennia. We don't have a land claim - it's beyond that, actually. Our rights exist throughout all of our territories," Arlen Dumas, chief of the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, said about the northern Manitoba land where HudBay Minerals Inc, a Toronto-based mid-tier miner, is building its Lalor project.

Protesters cut off access to the gold-copper-zinc mine for several hours in early March, demanding talks with the company on an ownership stake in the C$794 million ($773.84 million) project, which has started limited production.

HudBay, which has mined in northern Manitoba for nearly 85 years, made it clear it prefers not to negotiate directly with the community, which is about 125 km (78 miles) away from Lalor and is one of many First Nations bands in the region.

Instead, the company is participating in an inter-governmental mining committee, which deals with such things as how benefits are split among parties.

"We're kind of in the crossfire of that," said HudBay Chief Executive David Garofalo. "At the end of the day it's important that those governments talk to each other and establish a revenue-sharing model that sustains both governments - both the Canadian governments and the First Nation governments."

MINING COUNTRY

Canada is the world's top potash producer and the No. 2 uranium producer, and boasts large reserves of base and precious metals. A large percentage of the mineral deposits are in remote areas in the north of the country, where living conditions for aboriginal bands are often poor.

The Canadian protests - groups also blockaded a diamond mine in northern Ontario in a push for jobs and cash - are a far cry from actions taken by countries such as Venezuela and Kyrgyzstan to claw back stakes in projects being developed by foreign miners.

Even so, Canada is feeling the heat. For the first time in six years, Canadian provinces failed to top the list of the best mining jurisdictions in the world in a 2012/13 survey. Companies that participated in the survey said they were concerned about land claims.

"I would say one of the big things that is weighing on mining investment in Canada right now is First Nations issues," said Ewan Downie, chief executive of Premier Gold Mines, which owns numerous projects in northern Ontario.

Current rules oblige mining companies to consult with aboriginal communities as part of the permitting process and, in many cases, agree on compensation if a development infringes on native rights. Carrots can include profit-sharing, promises of training and compensation funds designed to improve living standards and create much-needed jobs.

But Idle No More, energized by a corps of young, educated and media-savvy activists, appears much less willing to accommodate the mining industry than native leaders have been in the past.

"This movement was about educating First Nations to say no, that's not what happens when you're an owner of the resources. An owner of the resources gets resource sharing," said Pamela Palmater, a professor of politics and public administration at Ryerson University in Toronto.

First Nation opposition has already slowed or derailed at least a half dozen energy and mining projects in British Columbia, and environmentalists are increasingly partnering with aboriginal people in an effort to halt projects.

"It's the project killer, the investment killer," said Clayton Thomas-Muller, an aboriginal activist with the Indigenous Tar Sands campaign, which wants to stop further expansion of the Alberta oil sands.

WANTED: A BETTER DEAL

It's not just new developments that are at risk as the Idle No More movement gains traction.

With isolated communities increasingly turning to social media to share information with others, even companies that already have agreements with local aboriginals could find themselves facing demands for better deals.

"Not all aboriginal communities have been able to enter into the same quality or types of arrangement," said Blake Langill, Toronto mining leader at global accounting firm Ernst & Young.

"So that sharing of the information will be very powerful," he said. "It will give them some food for thought as they engage in discussion with the mining companies."

The blockade of a northern Ontario diamond mine is an example of just that, as protesters from the Attawapiskat First Nation twice in February barred access to an ice road leading to De Beers' Victor mine, disrupting a winter supply program.

Residents of the reserve, some 90 km (55 miles) east of the mine, were angry over issues ranging from a lack of jobs and training to compensation for the loss of trap lines. They set up the blockade even though an investment deal was signed with De Beers in 2005.

The two sides failed to come to terms on compensation and De Beers, a subsidiary of Anglo American Plc, eventually won an injunction to remove the blockade.

"It's a constant relationship in progress," said De Beers Canada spokesman Tom Ormsby, noting the company has been in talks with the community for months over a litany of issues.

Ormsby said De Beers makes payments to a compensation fund and the community must then determine how that money is distributed to individuals.

Compensation is a sticky issue for many communities, and aboriginal law specialist Pierre-Christian Labeau expects demands for better benefits to lead to the renegotiation of some of the older deals, perhaps to add profit-sharing clauses like those seen in more recent agreements.

"For the mining industry, maybe they should be prepared to renegotiate some elements of these agreements, because the reality shows that what we negotiated 10 years ago or five years ago doesn't work," said Labeau, chair of aboriginal law at Norton Rose in Montreal.

WORKING TOGETHER

But it's not all gloom and doom when miners and First Nations meet. For every project where there is conflict, there are also aboriginal bands that have used mining investment to create economic opportunity for their communities.

At Goldcorp Inc's Musselwhite gold mine in northern Ontario, five First Nation communities have banded together to create a catering company serving the mine, along with a distribution company that delivers goods across the region.

While development of the mine has forever changed the way of life for the remote community, it has also provided jobs and business opportunities for the reserve's young people, said Frank McKay, president of Windigo Ventures General Partner.

"The community is aware that eventually the mine will close," said McKay, a member of the Sachigo Lake First Nation. "If the mine is gone, we still get the revenue from our businesses ... and we have workforce that can be easily moved to other mining operations."

http://news.yahoo.com/canada-aboriginal-movement-poses-threat-miners-191356413--sector.html

[valve37]

I guess if they are hell bent on shutting down the economic engine of Canada then it follows they will be shooting themselves in the foot. For it follows that the $14 billion in the federal and provincial yearly transfer to the reserves will begin to dry up.

Judging from Thomas Mulclair's recent US trip and comments regarding the Keystone pipeline project, the NDP will be happy.

[my3dotties]

..................to miners,oil workers,pipelines, seaways,highways,biways,trains hydro transmission to name a few.:^O

As dum dum continues to ingnore the natives with a moxy that ifuriates. Thinking hoping it will go away

Then dum dum declares war on Mohawks threatening their commerce and tobacco trade.

And we all know what the Mohawks are capable of.

maybe you tax puppets should alert your scandoulous mp's to have dum dum to come to some sort of realization because you are the only ones who will be shot in the foot.

W1B-)

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

They don't understand warrior. They never will. I just write them off.

[nuvistors]

Unfortunately Indians have been idle for  a very long time.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

And there's one now.

[puckstopshere]

Mining companies are also in the movement's sights as aboriginal bands seek to renegotiate old agreements and seize more control over mining developments, whether they are on lands designated as native reserves or not.

I guess those with blinders on don't see the contradiction here.

Canada should honor the treaties. 

Natives need not honor old agreements with mining companies.

It also seems that, according to Mr. Dumas, they now want all of Canada.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

It's a lot more complicated than one article from the media could or maybe wishes to explain. You can either build up the drama in this or, search for more information, especially the Native view. I've personally given up doing all the work for others.

[puckstopshere]

I've personally given up doing all the work for others.

Which was unnecessary in the first place.  Many of us know more than you give us credit for.

My concern is that the natives are not united.  The battle for treaty rights is being waged on far too many fronts.   Just when you think you understand what the demands are, they seem to change, depending on who you listen to. 

Quite a few bands have already reached agreements with the Feds.  There are still many (the have nots)  that have not reached any agreement.  One would think that this remaining group of bands would be best served to act as a group - rather than a whole bunch of fragmented groups.  Although Idle No More is still around, it has not had the affect of uniting the bands in their battle for treaty rights. 

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Many of us know more

Well that's often hard to 'know' based on some comments......so I just try to help.

My concern is that the natives are not united.

I agree and I've told them that, but often it's a tribal thing, same as you find in the middle east. It's definitely a problem and the government uses it to it's own benefit.

[brandeentertainment]

Give us but don't take is what I see alot off .. Nobody can have there cake and eat it too ...

Debeers had an agreement but they say in this day and age it is not enough anymore well Natives should know from what they are fighting for a contract is a contract .. fight for what you deserve but if you signed an agreement for 2 Million a year you don't get more just bnecause times have changed ...

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

If Debeers for instance says they will hire X number of aboriginial people but do not and then make one excuse after another, then they were the first to break the contract. That happened last year but I forget the name of the Rez.

Also contract details change all the time even in the rest of society between even white people. If one side wants a change and the other side sees a benefit from that change then it can still be altered. The white man wanted the Native people to be part of the white man's world and then when they become part of it, then they don't want them to be.

The problem with these agreements that we read about in the media, is the media gets their information from the government or from a corporation and if it is totally accurate and thorough is debatable. These are big companies with huge investments and massive financial returns and they're not going to tell the average person everything.

JMPO

[puckstopshere]

Well that's often hard to 'know' based on some comments

If the shoe fits......................

[puckstopshere]

is the media gets their information from the government or from a corporation and if it is totally accurate and thorough is debatable.

Sometimes, that is true.  And sometimes, not. 

One needs to study many sources of information, and by doing so, hopefully discern the truth.  To assume that one side speaks the truth and the other does not is biased.  There is black and there is white - and in between, many shades of gray.

[puckstopshere]

If Debeers for instance says they will hire X number of aboriginal people but do not

Is DeBeers required to take whatever comes to their door - regardless of qualifications or lack thereof?

I recall several summers in the 60's.  Regularly had natives showing up at the plant office looking for work.  As this was work that one could be trained for, we were prepared to hire a number of them, both male and female.  They only had one stipulation before accepting employment.  They wanted to be paid - in cash - at the end of each work day.  I was unable to meet this requirement as I did not own the company.  So, a number of natives who could have had a job - didn't.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

If the shoe fits

Why the shot puck? It's just a fact that there have been many comments which were inaccurate or misinformation or for other reasons and all I was doing was pointing that out.

Is DeBeers required to take whatever comes to their door - regardless of qualifications or lack thereof?

If they made an agreeement............yes. Would you agree that DeBeers is a big corporation? Do you think they did not research their investment for a long time, even years? Do you not think they knew the people in the area and their experience in mining? Certainly they knew it all, that's their how a business is run. But they also knew they had to get permission from the tribe, so part of getting that permission was to promise jobs, which they did and then later, backed out on. They're not stupid........they're sneaky.

Where was this plant you spoke of?

I can see where some people want to be paid in cash. The first thought that comes to mind is banks rob people blind with assorted service charges.....money thrown out the window for nothing. Some people trust cash more than cheques and I can't blame them. I know some will say that they wanted cash to avoid taxes. That would be untrue. I'm sure your plant took names, addresses and all other government information from the workers, so there is a .....record. I've paid people cash for work....if they report their income, or not, that's their business, but in the meantime....I'm covered.

[my3dotties]

Nothing wrong asking for cash.

My father a retired ironworker was paid cash all time. Now this is in New York city,worlds financial capitol.

Some jobs they were paid daily others weekly. Beefy company payroll clerks armed to the teeth would arrive on job and disperse the cash. A practice that continued well into the 80's

My father traveled the eastern seaboard building skyscrapers and bridges. He has a whole stack of bounced company payroll cheques. Would infuriate my late mother who was raising 5 children.

Generally white society is a risky one,someone trying to shaft you at every turn,especially if your native.

So not uncommon we ask for cash in hand.

W1B-)

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

My father worked for years at one company and it was always cash in a small payroll envelope. It worked well except for the day my mother accidentally threw the envelope out in the garbage thinking it was empty.

When the company got bought by two other guys, that's when he started to get cheques and after the two new owners drove the company into the ground, the cheques started to bounce.  

[brandeentertainment]

This is one thing I think most people forget ..Canada is not a white mans world ...

With population growth Everything cost more , With huge amount of immigrants everything cost more Natives are not the only people the goverment has to keep on forking out money too ...

I think maybe if politicians cut there budget by alot a.k.a the jets and fancy dinner and hotel rooms they could probably give the natives alot more just simply doing that but other then that things are always getting more expensive for the goverment..

If they made an agreeement............yes. But can;t these agreements be changed if it;s not working for one party ....

I know my old man works at detour and so far 6 people have been fired 4 for missing work all the time and 2 for being drunk at work all the time ... Maybe these agreements should start having very strict guidelines because for every employee that screws up it cost the company big bucks to retrain another employee...

Seeing the comment They backed out to me I bet there is a reason .. I know there is a reason my mine won't hire from the reserve anymore... I know there is a reason detour is borderline ready to stop highering from the reserve anymore and I know fox lake lodge owned by the Natives are not hiring from the reserve anymore all for very good reasons ...

My personal experience higher workers and terminating workers 00000000 but in all the examples above you can't blame these companies at all so who is to say they backed out being sneaky .. Maybe they backed out for good reason ..

It seems like aside from the fact that most of us agree on treaties alot of us are seeing totally different worlds when it comes to reserves it almost make me want to go down south and visit some reserves to see how different things are there

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Canada is not a white mans world ...

You're right and that is what the future will increasingly be. In the US, the 'white' people are now a minority as of.....I think it was 2011. Canada will also as time passes find themselves in this position as more immigrants arrive and they marry and they have children,  because in the new world we have now, people travel more and mass communication has shown people of other countries what Canada has to offer. This is also another reason the Native people want to hold on to what they have.....for their future.

you can't blame these companies at all so who is to say they backed out being sneaky .. Maybe they backed out for good reason

To start I totally agree with the concept that no company can keep on employees who are a problem or unreliable. The company doesn't deserve that and the no group of people should expect that. However, neither should the company have made a promise that they probably knew they wouldn't keep for whatever reason. It's a two way street.

It seems like aside from the fact that most of us agree on treaties alot of us are seeing totally different worlds when it comes to reserves it almost make me want to go down south and visit some reserves to see how different things are there

Many Rez's are totally different, but then the US is different. There aren't the rules and regulations on the Native people such as first asking for permission from the government to start up a business on a Rez. In the 'south south' such as Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, etc etc the Native people don't have the winter we have up here and the populations of other people including tourists surround them so they have a longer year better climate to achieve things and the population to do business with. Recently near London Ontario the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation has been considering forming a Reservation in the boundries of London. As Chippewas Chief Joe ­Miskokomon said...... “We are not talking about ­sharing furs or fish or the ­beaver trade — we are talking about modern economics and resource-sharing,”  However a lot of people in London are totally against it. Their point of view is keep the Natives as far away as possible. All the Native people see is discrimination. However many parts of the US, doing business with the Native people is a common way of life and has worked well.