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PoliticsAboriginal6TuesdayMay20201414053WW0WarAmpskeytagsprotectkeysremotedevicesandUSBdrives.Nearly14000setsoflostkeysarereturnedeveryyearKeytagsarecondentiallycodedandfree.Orderonline.KaelynandAdamCharitableRegistrationNo.131969628RR0001TheWarAmps1800250-3030waramps.caProtectYourKeysWithWarAmpsKeyTagsReportsdifferonCanadasdutytoconsultUNcallsforfreepriorandinformedconsentbutlawyerarguesAboriginalgovernmentsdonthavevetopowersforresourceprojectsByMEAGANWOHLBERGAnewreportfromtheUnitedNationsreleasedlastweekiscallingforbetterconsultationandthefullconsentofAborig-inalpeoplesbeforeapprovingresourceextractionprojectsinCanadabutasecondper-spectiveissayingsuchrigidrequirementsarenotactuallypartofCanadianlaw.DwightNewmantheCan-adaResearchChairinindige-nousrightsandconstitutionalandinternationallawattheUniversityofSaskatchewansaysAboriginalgovernmentsopposedtoproposedpipelinesminesanddrillingontheirter-ritorydonothavevetorightswhenitcomestoapprovingsaiddevelopment.Manybelievethedutytoconsultprovidesavetooverde-velopmentproposalswhilethecourtshaveconsistentlyreiter-atedthatitdoesnotNewmanwroteinTheRuleandtheRoleofLawThedutytoconsultAboriginalcommunitiesandtheCanadiannaturalresourcesectoranewpaperfortheMacdonaldLaurierInstitutepublishedjustdaysbeforethereportbyUNSpecialRappor-teurontherightsofindigenouspeoplesJamesAnaya.WhatthedutytoconsultdoesisprovideprotectionforkeyAboriginalinterestsandcreatealevertocauseAborigi-nalcommunitiesgovernmentandbusinessestocometoanagreementoverresourceproj-ectsthatbenetallpartiesNewmanconcluded.ReleasedlastMondaythemuchanticipatedreportbyAnayaadvisestheCanadiangovernmenttoadheretoin-ternationalagreementsonin-digenousrightsbyrefrainingfromapprovingprojectsonlandssubjecttoAboriginalclaimswithoutadequatecon-sultationorthefreepriorandinformedconsentofthein-digenouspeoplesconcerned.Basedoninformationgath-eredinpartduringavisittoCanadalastOctoberAnayapaintsapictureofthecoun-tryscurrentstateofconsulta-tiononethatiscontributingtoatroublingrelationshipbe-tweenAboriginalpeopleandtheCrownthathasonlywors-enedsincethepreviousrappor-teursvisitin2004.TheSpecialRapporteurrepeatedlyheardfromab-originalleadersthattheyarenotopposedtodevelopmentintheirlandsgenerallyandgotogreatlengthstoparticipateinsuchconsultationprocessesasareavailablebutthatthesearegenerallyinadequatenotde-signedtoaddressaboriginalandtreatyrightsandusuallytakeplaceatastagewhenprojectproposalshavealreadybeendevelopedhisreportstates.Thereappearstobealackofaconsistentframeworkorpolicyfortheimplementationofthisdutytoconsultwhichiscontributingtoanatmosphereofcontentiousnessandmistrustthatisconduciveneithertoben-ecialeconomicdevelopmentnorsocialpeace.WhileNewmanagreesthesituationisntalwaysrosybe-tweenAboriginalCanadiansandtheresourceindustryhispaperarguestheassertionofconsentembeddedinAnayasreportwouldsquanderCanadasmassiveresourcepotentialandtheresultingeconomicoppor-tunitiesforAboriginalpeoples.InaninterviewwithTheJournalNewmansaidthedutytoconsultisanimportantpartofCanadianjurisprudencebutshouldbeaddressedbasedonitsspiritintentandcapacityforrelationship-buildingratherthanseenonlyasarigidlegalframeworkthatgovernmentsareforcedtofollow.Theideathatfreepriorandinformedconsentisre-quiredineverycaseofdevel-opmentofresourcesontradi-tionalterritories-thatsnotreallyconsistentwithCana-dasdutytoconsultdoctrineasitsbeendevelopedthusfarhesaid.concerningthelevelofconsul-tationandformsofaccommo-dationrequiredbytheconstitu-tionaldutytoconsulthewrote.ThoughAboriginalpeoplepotentiallystandtogainfromresourcedevelopmentwithintheirterritoriesAnayaempha-sizedthattheysimultaneouslylegalrequirementshesaiditremainsthelawforanimpor-tantreasonbecauseapowerbalanceexistswherebypublicgovernmentspushforresourceextractionregardlessofthespe-cialconstitutionalrightsthatAboriginalpeoplehold.Newmaniscomingfromaperspectiveofnaiveteinex-pectingthatgovernmentsandindustrywillacthonourablytowardsFirstNationswhenthepast250yearssuggeststheexactoppositeInnessaid.Itsanargumentforthestatusquothatignoresthefactthatthesta-tusquohasbeenanythingbutkindtoFirstNationsandtheireconomicinterests.ThoughNewmansreportturnstotheFortMcKayFirstNationrepeatedlyasanexampleofanAboriginalgovernmentgettingwhatitwantsfromtheindustrythatsurroundsitInnesnotedthattheFirstNationjustveryrecentlydroppedamassivecourtcaseagainstboththeAl-bertaandfederalgovernmentsandBrionEnergythatitusedasleveragetosecuregreaterenvironmentalprotectioninrelationtoaproposedoilsandsprojectonitsterritory.Topretendthattheresnotapowerimbalanceandtothensuggestthatthedutytoconsultshouldbeinterpretedassome-thingotherthanthelawwhichitisistosuggestthatFirstNa-tionsshouldsimplystandasideandallowdevelopmenttooccurinthepublicinterestasdenedbyeveryoneelseInnessaid.Hesaiddutytoconsultisextremelyimportantfortruenation-to-nationreconciliationwithFirstNationsinCanada.IfreconciliationtosomemeansFirstNationsagreetohavetheirlandsandresourcestakenupbygovernmentandindustryforthebenetofallCanadiansthenitsnotarightatallitssimplyan-othersacriceonthepartofFirstNations.Intermsofaconsultationsituationitmaynotbehelp-fultostartoffbythinkingWhatdoesthelawrequireLetsdothat.Focusingontheminimumlegalrequire-mentsisnotnecessarilythebestpracticesomuchastry-ingtofocusonrelationshipbuildingfromallsidesandtryingtondwaystofurtherwhatwillworkforeveryone.ConsultationrifewithproblemsUNreportAmongtheproblemswiththeconsultationprocesslistedintheUNreportAnayasaidFirstNationsareoftenbom-bardedwithpaperworktooshortoftimelinestheburdenofproofwithrespecttoimpactsontheirrightsandareforcedtopresenttheirconcernstore-viewpanelsthathavelittleun-derstandingofAboriginallaw.InadditionhepointstotheemergingtrendofindustryorganizingtheconsultationsratherthantheCrown.Thefederalgovernmenthasacknowledgedthatitlacksaconsistentconsultationproto-colorpolicytoprovideguidancetoprovincesandcompaniesfacethehighestriskstohealtheconomyandculturalidentityfromtheassociatedenviron-mentalimpactsandthatthelong-terminterestsofindigenouspeoplesoftendonteasilytintotheplansofindustryespeciallywhenbackedbyprovincialandfederalgovernments.Whenconsultationhappensresourcecompanieshaveoftenalreadyinvestedinexplorationandviabilitystudiesbaselinestudiesarenolongerpossibleandaccommodationofindige-nouspeoplesconcernsrequiresadeviationfromcompaniesplansAnayawrote.HesaiddevelopmentprojectsmustbefullyconsistentwithAboriginalandtreatyrightsandasmuchaspossibleallowforindigenouscontroloverandbenetsfromextractiveopera-tionswithintheirlands.NewmansstancenaivelawyerLarryInnesalawyerwhospecializesinAboriginalandenvironmentallawatOlthuisKleerTownshendsaidthoughheagreeswithNewmanthatdutytoconsultshouldntbeviewedintermsofminimumThereappearstobealackofaconsistentframeworkorpolicyfortheimplementationofthisdutytoconsultwhichiscontributingtoanatmosphereofcontentiousnessandmistrust.JamesAnayaUNSpecialRapporteurAboriginalprotestersgatheronthestepsofParliamentHilllastWednesdayfortheNationalDayofResistanceagainstthefederalgovernmentsFirstNationsEducationActandlackofactiononthegrowingcountofmissingandmurderedindigenouswomeninCanada.TheprotestscamejustdaysaftertheUNreleasedareportonthestatusofAboriginalpeopleinCanada.PhotoClaytonThomas-MullerIdleNoMore