Reframing Forest-Based Development as

First Nation-Municipal Collaboration: Lessons from Lake Superior’s North Shore

Ryan Bullock, PhD

SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow

School of Environment & Sustainability

University of Saskatchewan

Email: ryan.bullock@usask.ca

Homepage: ryanbullock.ca

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Northern Communities & Resource Development

• First Nations & municipalities face ↑ opportunities & obligations in natural resource development

• Often mismatch in capacity & governance

• In northern Ontario, land use, economic development & regional governance intersect at forestry

• Proximity → cost/benefit sharing

(OMNR 1995, RCAP 1996)

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Guiding Question(s)

1. Perceived opportunities & barriers for First Nation-municipal collaboration in forest development?

2. Successes & lessons from First Nation-municipal collaboration?

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Case Study Methods

Northeast Superior Forest Community Corp (NSFC)

• Examine evolving views & events in early planning stage (i.e. 2007-2009)– 27 confidential interviews - May 2008-July 2009

– >200 reports, plans, archived local newspapers

– regional meetings

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Northeast Superior Region

• 60 000 km²

• 6 towns

• 8 First Nations

• 20% Aboriginal

• 'Fibre basket’

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Northeast Superior Region -- The ‘Forestry Crisis’

• ↑ 30% electricity

• access to fibre

• global comp

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(Bank of Canada 2008; US National Association of Home Builders 2008; Ministry of Energy 2008)

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Northeast Superior Region -- Local Impacts

• 1025 direct jobs lost

• ↓17% population

– skilled labour & youth

• Foreclosures &

↓ property values

• Shrinking tax base

• Service loss

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Northeast Superior Mayors’ Group

• est. 2000

• 6 towns

• policy alternatives:– Services & infrastructure

– Forest economy

– Informal association

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Response?

“The reality is… no one community can do it on their own” (municipal rep.)

Northeast Superior Forest Community Corp.

• Forest Communities Program– ≈ $1,055,000 over 5 years

– community sustainability & econ. dev.

– incorporated in 2008

– growing # partners & national/global network links

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NSFC

$

6 towns

$

Northeast Superior Regional Chiefs’ Forum

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Response?

• est. 2007

• 6 First Nations

• voice & coordination– Economic development

– Env. stewardship

– Socio-cultural priorities

“...inspired by Aboriginal values such as caring, sharing, mutual respect and trust”

(NSRCF 2010: 3)

First Nation-Municipal Collaboration

• Feb 2008, NSFC & Chapleau Cree First Nation sign MOU– First Nation review NSFC Strategic Plan

– Clarify roles & elevate First Nation profiles

– Obtain funding for First Nation participation

– Mutual commitment to relationship building & cross-cultural understanding

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“The Mayors of all six communities recognize that decisions involving lands and

resources cannot be made without direct involvement of area First Nations.”

(NSFC General Manager, May 7, 2008, Algoma News Review, A1)

First Nation-Municipal Collaboration

• May 2010 First Nations host cross-cultural sensitivity workshop with 35 municipal & First Nations

• Fall 2010, Chiefs and Mayors join for first time at AGM to celebrate partnership & accomplishments– Chief of Michipicoten First Nation made vice president

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“It’s like a card house. You pull one card out and the rest come down. We may not

always agree, but we recognize that each card is important.” (municipal rep)

FN-Municipal Collaboration: Successes & Lessons

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Teaching & Learning

• Regional & cross-cultural collaboration “a new way of doing things”

• Must define what to do and how (e.g. objectives, processes, structures)

• First Nations must regenerate culturally appropriate forum

FN-Municipal Collaboration: Successes & Lessons

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Building Trust & Relationships

• Trust both precondition & outcome of collaboration

• Conflict can be persistent, but outcomes not always negative– E.g. motivation & innovation

• Creating local forums & opportunities for periodic informal involvement crucial

NSFC 2009-2010

FN-Municipal Collaboration: Successes & Lessons

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Empowerment through Sharing Authority & Resources

• Mutual recognition of benefits of collaboration

Collaborative Forest-based Development

Aboriginal authority & TK

Municipal resources &

research

Acknowledgements

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NSFC

Email: ryan.bullock@usask.ca Homepage: ryanbullock.ca