Christy Clark enlists Shawn Atleo to improve aboriginal relations.
Premier Christy Clark has tapped former national aboriginal leader Shawn Atleo to lead a new round of talks between First Nations, governments and the business community during a contentious time for aboriginal relations in the province, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
Clark will make the announcement in Nanaimo on Thursday, proclaiming Atleo, a former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, as British Columbia’s new “Shqwi qwal (Speaker) for Indigenous Dialogue.”
The new position, which B.C. is billing as the first of its kind in Canada, will see Atleo travel the province to kickstart “dialogue sessions” about priorities between First Nations, local leaders and corporations, according to details obtained by The Sun.
The move comes at a key time for aboriginal relations in B.C., as the issues of oil pipelines, liquefied natural gas plants and aboriginal land title court rulings create questions and conflict between the business community, First Nations, Victoria and Ottawa.
Clark’s government has banked its political future on the development of an LNG industry, but many of the companies proposing to spend billions of dollars on LNG terminals also need to strike deals with First Nations groups to build natural gas pipelines and facilities on sensitive traditional territories in B.C.’s northwest region.
Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline between Alberta and B.C.’s coast has also sharply divided the province, with some First Nations leaders threatening to block the project in court over concerns about the environmental risk from a pipeline leak or an oil tanker spill.
Atleo’s appointment is also in response to aboriginal leaders who have called on Clark and Prime Minister Stephen Harper to re-engage First Nations communities with more respect after the Tsilhqot’in nation’s landmark victory on land title rights at the Supreme Court of Canada earlier this year.
Atleo will produce a series of research and public policy papers on economic and social issues identified from his meetings.
He’s not working directly for Clark, nor is he expected to be parachuted into conflicts between companies and First Nations to try to sort out disputes on behalf of the government.
Instead, the B.C. government will provide funding to Vancouver Island University, which will host Atleo as part of the university’s Centre for pre-Confederation Treaties and Reconciliation, according to details obtained by The Sun.
Atleo served as head of the Assembly of First Nations from 2009 until May when he abruptly quit amid a brewing internal revolt over his support of a proposed federal bill on First Nations education.
He has maintained a relatively low profile since his departure. He took time off to travel the United States alone on a motorcycle, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network recently reported, and was spotted in his home territory of Port Alberni earlier this month where he declared he’d had enough of Ottawa.
Atleo is a hereditary chief from the Ahousaht First Nation. He also serves as a distinguished fellow in indigenous education at the University of Toronto.