Public Policy Forum

“This research describes and analyzes of the role of Impact and Benefits Agreements (IBA) in the resource development process with particular emphasis on understanding whose interests are at play, how these related to the public interest and whether there are opportunities or requirements to better align interests.”

“This report highlights the most promising opportunities for action that emerged from the discussions, summarized around five challenges.”

"To bring together industry leaders and Aboriginal organizations to share best practices in partnership building and promote further engagement from both communities, the Public Policy Forum organized a national workshop at The Westin in Ottawa on June 4, 2009, with a private reception the evening before.

"The purpose of this paper is to highlight background information on the opportunities and challenges associated with Aboriginal participation in major resource development. The focus is on major resource projects in energy (oil, gas and hydro) and mining sectors in Canada.

"This national roundtable series convened leaders from Canada’s natural resources sector, Aboriginal communities and the public sector. The themes and issues discussed are summarized in the attached documents. A number of key themes were reflected in the dialogue, including: Labour Market Development; Community Readiness; Financing and Financial Literacy; Partnerships and Collaboration; Measurements of Success; Best Practices and Case Studies."

"As the digital age continues to change Canada's social, political, and economic landscapes, Aboriginal peoples are responding. Having resisted overt assimilation and initiating a process of restoring identity, Aboriginal cultures face new challenges, such as the pervasive reality of information and communications technologies (ICT). These new technologies, especially the Internet, hold promise for Aboriginal nations. If used effectively and harnessed appropriately, ICT can be a valuable tool to propel forward their process of cultural renewal."

"As the Information Age transforms Canadian society, Aboriginal Canadians can not risk being left behind. According to this report, information and communications technologies (ICT) "offer critical opportunities to strengthen Aboriginal cultural identities, promote sustainable community development and achieve greater self-reliance." These national recommendations reveal a critical opportunity for Canada's First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples to leapfrog into the Information Age."