The Way Forward: Envisioning Treaty Rights in Modern Resource Management

- General

Join us on Feb 19-21 at UoA’s Augustana Campus to envision treaty rights in modern resource management!

Application of treaty rights to the management of natural resources is a highly topical issue, one that emphasizes the need for a more inclusive, collaborative approach and consideration of the perspective, knowledge and participation of First Nations. In Alberta, a collaborative management approach and a treaty implementation policy are still unrealized. This conference will bring together decision-makers, researchers, and practitioners to explore what the treaties promised First Nations about resource access, what more inclusive management might include and potential means to adopt such a model.

The Way Forward: Envisioning Treaty Rights in Modern Resource Management will examine the need and opportunity to incorporate treaty rights into Alberta’s natural resource management approach, featuring perspectives from First Nations leaders, leading researchers, lawyers and government regulators.

Recent announcements from both the federal and provincial governments suggest change in the way governments address treaty obligations, and relationships with Canada’s Aboriginal peoples. The Way Forward: Envisioning Treaty Rights in Modern Resource Management conference promises to be a great opportunity join First Nations leaders, leading researchers, lawyers and government regulators in a discussion about incorporation of treaty rights into Alberta’s natural resource management approach.  To join us for presentations and discussion with these leading researchers and practitioners, please take advantage of the early-bird registration, ending 31 January 2016.  For more information or to register, please see the attached reminder notice, or check the following websites:

When: February 19-21                   Where: University of Alberta, Augustana Campus, Camrose, AB

Confirmed Speakers:

• Dr. William Littlechild, Treaty 6 First Nation, Opening Welcome

• Charles Weasel Head, Blood Tribe, First Nations perspectives on treaty implementation

• Robert Janes, LLP, JFK Law Corp., Historic treaties in the modern world

• Clayton Leonard, LLP, MLT Law, The status quo and implications of not having a treaty implementation plan

• Dr. Patricia McCormack, University of Alberta, Faculty of Native Studies, Emeritus, What do the Alberta treaties say about First Nations access to natural resources?

• Dan Stuckless, Fort McKay Band Administration, The difficulty in maintaining the honour of the Crown in a discriminatory system

• Matthew Whitehead, Woodland Cree, Building Indigenous knowledge into Alberta’s natural resource management approach

• Kim Shade, Alberta Aboriginal Relations (GOA), Title TBA

• Dr. Daniel Sims, University of Alberta, Augustana, Assistant Professor, We are all treaty people: Lessons from non-treatied lands

• Doreen Somers, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, The Lower Athabasca Regional Plan consultation process

• Bill Snow, Stoney (Wesley) Band Administration, The South Saskatchewan regional planning process

• Susan Cardinal, Stoney (Wesley) Band Administration, Aboriginal consultation in Alberta’s Land Use Framework

• Karin Buss, Henning Byrne Law, The Crown’s duty to consult First Nations: Is it protecting treaty rights?

• Dee Patriquin & Melanie Daniels, Solstice Canada/TSAG, Define meaningful. How can the consultation system protect treaty rights?

• Allan Ehrlich, Mackenzie Valley Review Panel, Implementation of modern treaties:  How well does it work?

• Jeff Langlois, JFK Law, Trouble in Yukon’s Pelly River Watershed

For more information about the event and speakers: Click here.  To register: Click here

For more information, please contact Dr. Glynnis Hood (ghood@ualberta.ca) or Dr. Dee Patriquin (patriqui@ualberta.ca)