Exploring the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and the Canadian forest industry

Abstract

Introduction Relationships between corporate Canada and Aboriginal peoples are becoming increasingly important for a variety of reasons: the significant growth in the Aboriginal labour force; land claims and self-government negotiations and agreements; environmental assessment procedures; disputes over lands and resources; and employment equity legislation to name a few. Recent books (e.g., Sloan and Hill 1995) and studies have documented the type of activities that are reshaping these relationships. Nonetheless, information on the forest industry's activities appear spotty at best, a somewhat surprising situation given the economic importance of the industry to Canada in general and the significance of forests to the economic, cultural and spiritual well-being of Aboriginal communities in particular. Employment statistics alone underline the industry's economic importance: over 360 000 people were employed by the close to 11 000 establishments, resulting in wages and salaries of over $10.4 billion. Estimated indirect employment accounted for another 479 000 jobs, for total employment by the sector of 840 000 or about one in sixteen Canadian jobs. The forest sector is the county's largest non-urban employer and more than 330 communities are dependent on this sector for their livelihood. Better information about industry relationships with Aboriginal peoples could serve a number of purposes: such information might assist Aboriginal organizations, individual companies and governments in their efforts to fashion new partnership arrangements; it could also ensure that government programs are designed to complement rather than duplicate industry efforts; and finally, it could point to areas where further research might prove beneficial. With these purposes in mind, the Institute On Governance undertook a two part project, the results of which are summarized in this article. The first centres on capturing recent trends and developments that underlie the relationship between the industry and Aboriginal communities and organizations. The second, based on an interview program of some thirty-five of some of the largest forestry firms and industry associations across Canada, focuses on documenting industry activities, attitudes and apparent trends. The article concludes with some modest proposals by the Institute on how industry relationships with Aboriginal peoples could be further enhanced.