A guest column from our Alliance chair, Chief Crystal Smith, that appeared in Business in Vancouver: To say the least, Canada’s First Nations have been playing in an unequal playing field for a long time. But I can confidently say the tides are turning – and, I believe, will continue to turn throughout the next …
By JP GLADU Adoption in BC and Canada of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is a real opportunity for strengthening the relationships that have been so fractured for such a long time now. The BC government, introducing its Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, said: “It is about …
Karen Ogen-Toews, CEO of the First Nations Natural Gas Alliance, sees the Jan. 14 Declaration event in Vancouver as helping people learn and understand that UNDRIP is “a plus” across the board. “UNDRIP isn’t a negative thing for us. It’s a plus, a plus for everybody and we need to communicate that, to make sure …
Jobs were firmly on attendees’ minds, of course, at the 2019 series of LNG Canada/Coastal GasLink open houses and job fairs. At our Alliance tables, we spent time talking about the Alliance and the benefits (and jobs and careers) that responsible LNG development can bring to First Nations and their people. But particularly among younger …
Looking at our social-media pages, it’s easy to tell who has big numbers of friends, fans, and followers: Chief Councillor Crystal Smith of the Haisla Nation (above); that’s who. There were flurries of congratulations and approval when we announced her selection as chair of our First Nations Natural Gas Alliance: • “Congratulations to this strong …
