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Canadian aboriginals set stage to bid on major oil sands leases
Canadian aboriginals are on the move in the oil patch, taking a first step toward a possible joint venture with their U.S. counterparts to develop an oil sands project and gaining a seat on the National Energy Board.
A First Nations economic development conference in Edmonton this fall could see the groundwork laid for an aboriginal enterprise to bid on major oil sands leases.
Conference Chairman Dale Swampy, chief executive officer of the Samson Cree First Nations Corp. in Alberta, said U.S. tribes are looking for ways to invest their profits from casinos and are showing interest in oil and gas opportunities.
He said the focus of the Oct. 24-27 conference, which expects 750 attendees this year and 3,000 in 2007, will be on forming major partnerships and learning from those who have succeeded in economic ventures.
The driving force behind the initiative are the Samson, Enoch and Saddle Creek nations of Alberta in response to a Canadian government decision to cancel major funding for aboriginal economic development.
In addition, Swampy said his communities feel it is time for Alberta money to play a larger role in the development of oil sands at a time when U.S. and Asian money is playing a large role in the province’s economic boom.
“We want to be a major part of it too, but it’s going to take a large investment,” Swampy said.
He said the government erred in scrapping federal equity programs that gave first nations a degree of economic self-sufficiency.
The Samson Cree parlayed a C$1.7 million government investment into a C$36 million business enterprise, embracing oil and gas drilling, real estate holdings and a financial trust company.
Saddle Lake Chief Eddie Makokis said that given the 80 percent jobless rate on reservations governments have a responsibility to look to aboriginals rather than immigrants to solve labor shortages in Canada.
Crowfoot named to NEB Meanwhile, Strater Crowfoot, a former Blackfoot chief, has become the first aboriginal member of the National Energy Board, Canada’s federal regulator.
Although Crowfoot emphasizes that he views the posting as a chance to represent all Canadians, not just one group, he concedes that recent court rulings mandating consultation with natives on major energy projects allow him to bring a “different perspective” to the discussions.
Earlier this year, in speaking to a public utilities conference, he said First Nations “want the same things as everyone else” — businesses and job opportunities on their lands and revenues to build infrastructure and provide a higher quality of services.”
He suggested there should be a national agency to negotiate aboriginal participation in resource development as well as to clarify property and business rights on aboriginal land.
—Gary Park
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