Indigenous communities need to take charge of talks with mining companies and the government, Chad Norman Day, former president of the Tahltan First Nation in British Columbia, says.
The mining industry is under pressure to engage more with First Nations communities, and Indigenous leaders should be assertive in protecting their interests, Day said in an interview last month. Through his new venture, Thadu Consulting, Day wants to change the way industry and Indigenous nations collaborate for everyone’s benefit.
“You teach people how to treat you,” Day said at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s annual conference in Toronto. “Indigenous people shouldn’t just be involved in the decision making and when it comes to talking about the environment, they should be part owners in these projects.”
Day is using his 12 years of government experience to challenge industry practices, which often limit Indigenous voices to just token consultations. Thadu aims to foster stronger relationships that deliver real benefits and shared ownership in resource development, he said.
Watch the full interview below with The Northern Miner’s western editor, Henry Lazenby.
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