Indigenous Voices in Environmental Assessment

There is increasing imperative to fully involve Indigenous people and respectfully assess impacts on their constitutionally protected Aboriginal and Treaty rights within provincial and federal environmental assessments.  Governments and proponents are challenged to work with Indigenous groups to meet regulatory requirements and respect community-based protocols and expectations.  Indigenous groups are challenged to find where they fit into government-imposed environmental assessment processes.  Some Indigenous groups have established and implemented their own environmental assessment processes grounded by their cultural and inherent responsibility of environmental stewardship in their traditional territory.

In this special session, we will hear about two Indigenous-led processes for impact assessment and explore in a collaborative way, the big picture realities that can shape how we do impact assessment such as:

• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
• Reconciliation
• Nation-to-Nation Relationships
• Duty to Consult and Accommodate

Also included will be the practical aspects such as:

• What Is and Isn’t Working Now
• Collaborative Consent Beyond Duty to Consult and Accommodate
• Ethical Space
• Multiple Knowledge Systems, and
• Indigenous Impact Assessment Based on Natural Law.

Randy Restoule, Acting Consultation Coordinator, Dokis First Nation
Presentation: Dokis First Nation Custom EA Law under the Community Land Code

And

Mark LaForme, Director, Department of Consultation and Accommodation,
Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
Presentation: Environmental Governance at MCFN (TBC)

Thursday, June 13, 2019
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Ontario Regional Office
55 York Street, 6th Floor, Toronto, ON M5J 1R7

 

Registration Opens: 5 pm
Presentations: 5:30 pm
Facilitated Dialogue: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
NOTE: Access to the Building is Only Possible Prior to 6 pm

 

This is a Member’s Only Event
OAIA Annual Membership: $50
OAIA Member Session Fee: $25

 

Membership and Session Fees will be Accepted at the Door

Please REGISTER by June 10th
Space is Limited to 60 Participants