A provincial Indigenous organization says resource mining companies in Saskatchewan need to take a different approach with Aboriginal stakeholders if they want their projects to move forward.
John Hanikenne is the president of the Coalition of Indigenous Peoples of Saskatchewan.
He says companies such as Star Diamond need to adopt a more collaborative and inclusive approach when it comes to Indigenous communities that will be affected by their projects.
“I think there’s a lot of companies in the north that are going in and all the people, the local people, see is tail lights coming and going,” he says. “They’re not involved in a lot of that in Saskatchewan. And other places, Indigenous people are benefitting quite well but it seems in Saskatchewan they’re leaving behind the people that need these jobs the most.”
Star-Diamond is overseeing a proposed roughly $1.4 billion diamond mine project in the Fort a la Corne area, about 60 kilometres east of Prince Albert.
CIPS is proposing a Protocol of Understanding and Cooperation on the project.
Hanikenne says both Star Diamond and the province have failed in their duty to consult obligations on the proposed diamond mine project.
He says not only have First Nations been left out of the discussion but also local Métis.
“I think consulting Indigenous people, not just First Nations, there’s Métis in this region, that Fort la Corne has been a traditional homeland of the Métis for many, many, many years. Just as long as the First Nations as a matter of fact and James Smith (Cree Nation).”
Late last year, the provincial government signed off on an environmental assessment for the project.
However, the James Smith Cree Nation says it was not properly consulted on the decision.
(PHOTO: The proposed Star Diamond mine project in Fort a la Corne. File photo.)