October 2014

First Nations Blog Post

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/Unilateral+park+declared+Tsilhqot+includes+Prosperity+mine/10192766/story.html

After reading the article I decided to blog about the view from both perceptions. The mining company and also the first nations.

Firstly, from the view of the mining companies this huge plot of land rich in resources and is a huge opportunity. Such an opportunity will provide many employment chances for local population, bringing large income to Canada and also boost the raw material pool of Canada. A point that might be argued is that all of Canada’s land is rightfully owned by natives so whether they construct a mine in this area or another, they are going to constantly be fighting a battle against a First Nations tribe to claim rights to the land.

On the flip side, thinking as a First Nation will conclude that the lands natural beauty, wildlife and diverse environment makes it important to protect. The construction of a new site will spoil the eco-system as it will have knock on affects to other water streams and wildlife hunting in the area. Hence, it should be preserved at all costs and no form of capital can replace the natural gains of the area.

Now combining both sides of the story it is evident that both groups need to collaborate to come up with an agreement. The question will be where, and how much land can be used for the mine site so that it has the least impact on the environment. Also, both sides should ensure the sustainability  of operations once the agreement has been met and this can be assisted by government rules and regulations. It’s important to drive economic growth in Canada but Canadian companies must always keep in mind the land heritage and respect the First Nations. Many of the previous plans have failed because companies have failed to take this into consideration. To satisfy both sides both parties need to be actively conversing from the start and not meet once one side has come up with a proposal.