Adrian MacNair - Spinning money for First Nations Incorporated

Many people consider the scattered First Nations tribes across Canada as being the lasting stewards of the pristine lands they retain ownership of from old treaties. When we think of condominiums, billboards, and casinos, we’re more apt to think of the relentlessly forward-driving economic engine of the “white man” and his constant development. But times are changing, and so are the natives who are using their land to turn a profit for their bands.

The Squamish nation, in particular, have gained a lot of attention recently in Vancouver with their decision to erect a gigantic digital LED billboard at the south end the Vancouver Burrard Street Bridge. While such sights are common in Toronto and Montreal, the city of Vancouver is more known for breathtaking and unobstructed vistas of the mountains and greenery, or the nearly all-glass skyscrapers of the downtown core.

But now some big development is in the works after First Nations people here signed agreements with the federal and provincial governments. In Ottawa, amendments were made last week to the First Nations Commercial and Industrial Development Act, which allows the Squamish band and other native groups more freedom to do large-scale commercial development.

That means townhouse condos on the North Shore of Vancouver, as high as 25-30 stories, to be sold on a 99-year lease. That irritates some North Vancouver residents, who don’t want the views of the mountains blotted out. [Development in North Vancouver has a long and controversial history. In 2007, new solar panels were installed on the library roof at a cost of $204,000, but future development could jeopardize the utility of the solar panels if towers blocked out the solar rays.]

There’s even bigger news from the Haida nation, which made a deal with the Province of British Columbia. Officially called “reconciliation protocols”, Premier Gordon Campbell has renamed the Queen Charlotte Islands after the native name for the islands, Haida Gwaii, and granted them some extraordinary powers.

In the last election the Liberals campaigned on the Recognition and Reconciliation Act, which would give First Nations people here equal footing with the government in economic development matters in a kind of joint-management system that would consult them on land usage and resource extraction. By signing onto the Liberals' green energy plan, they will be getting access to millions of dollars from the government, as well as increased transportation access for Coastal bands with B.C. Ferries port terminals.

As for First Nations development, they stand to make a good chunk of money in “green energy”. Rather than renegotiate treaties, this “partnership” with the government has allowed the natives to share in the profits from giving the go-ahead to private power developments, bringing much-needed economic activity to small native communities.

The Haida nation is seeing both kinds of green in this deal. They plan to “fight climate change” by setting aside a quarter of the pristine old growth Haida Gwaii [Queen Charlottes] rainforest in order to sell them to corporations when the Canadian carbon trading market comes into effect. The companies wouldn’t own the land, but would pay fees to the Haida Nation to offset their own carbon emissions. The scheme will net millions of dollars for both the band and the provincial government in which they have signed a partnership agreement.

Times are certainly changing, and the First Nations seem to be at the forefront of that change.

National Post


	Adrian MacNair: Spinning money for First Nations, Incorporated
	Posted by NP Editor First Nations, Adrian MacNair National Post December 17 2009

	Many people consider the scattered First Nations tribes across Canada as being the lasting stewards of the pristine lands they retain ownership of from old treaties. When we think of condominiums, billboards, and casinos, we’re more apt to think of the relentlessly forward-driving economic engine of the “white man” and his constant development. But times are changing, and so are the natives who are using their land to turn a profit for their bands. The Squamish nation, in particular, have gained a lot of attention recently in Vancouver with their decision to erect a gigantic digital LED billboard at the south end the Vancouver Burrard Street Bridge. While such sights are common in Toronto and Montreal, the city of Vancouver is more known for breathtaking and unobstructed vistas of the mountains and greenery, or the nearly all-glass skyscrapers of the downtown core. But now some big development is in the works after First Nations people here signed agreements with the federal and provincial governments. In Ottawa, amendments were made last week to the First Nations Commercial and Industrial Development Act, which allows the Squamish band and other native groups more freedom to do large-scale commercial development. That means townhouse condos on the North Shore of Vancouver, as high as 25-30 stories, to be sold on a 99-year lease. That irritates some North Vancouver residents, who don’t want the views of the mountains blotted out. [Development in North Vancouver has a long and controversial history. In 2007, new solar panels were installed on the library roof at a cost of $204,000, but future development could jeopardize the utility of the solar panels if towers blocked out the solar rays.] There’s even bigger news from the Haida nation, which made a deal with the Province of British Columbia. Officially called “reconciliation protocols”, Premier Gordon Campbell has renamed the Queen Charlotte Islands after the native name for the islands, Haida Gwaii, and granted them some extraordinary powers. In the last election the Liberals campaigned on the Recognition and Reconciliation Act, which would give First Nations people here equal footing with the government in economic development matters in a kind of joint-management system that would consult them on land usage and resource extraction. By signing onto the Liberals' green energy plan, they will be getting access to millions of dollars from the government, as well as increased transportation access for Coastal bands with B.C. Ferries port terminals. As for First Nations development, they stand to make a good chunk of money in “green energy”. Rather than renegotiate treaties, this “partnership” with the government has allowed the natives to share in the profits from giving the go-ahead to private power developments, bringing much-needed economic activity to small native communities. The Haida nation is seeing both kinds of green in this deal. They plan to “fight climate change” by setting aside a quarter of the pristine old growth Haida Gwaii [Queen Charlottes] rainforest in order to sell them to corporations when the Canadian carbon trading market comes into effect. The companies wouldn’t own the land, but would pay fees to the Haida Nation to offset their own carbon emissions. The scheme will net millions of dollars for both the band and the provincial government in which they have signed a partnership agreement. Times are certainly changing, and the First Nations seem to be at the forefront of that change. National Post