Opinion: Responsible coal mining a path to Indigenous prosperity – by Dale Swampy (Edmonton Journal – December 18, 2021)

https://edmontonjournal.com/

First Nations are self-determining nations. We do not cede our rights
to self-governance to any outsider group, and that includes those
activists that purport to represent our environmental interests.
Groups that utilize any tool available at their disposal to stop
industrial development do not represent First Nations.

The National Coalition of Chiefs (NCC) was established in 2017 with a mandate to defeat on-reserve poverty through Indigenous participation in Canada’s natural resource industry.

The NCC provides a forum for pro-development chiefs to communicate directly with leaders of the natural resource industry while advocating for policies that pave the way for more Indigenous involvement in industry, as employers, contractors, partners and owners.

We have publicly expressed to the Alberta Coal Policy Committee our support for metallurgical coal development within our traditional territories. That endorsement does not come without conditions, including:

Ensuring that mining practices will be covered by the extensive existing legislation that governs air quality, water quality and water quantity, and that new metallurgical coal projects will be subject to proper scrutiny.

The requirement for progressive rehabilitation so that the land forms can be used by future generations.

For the rest of this column: https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-responsible-coal-mining-key-to-ensuring-indigenous-prosperity-and-sovereignty