Aboriginal Community
Alberta’s Aboriginal people have been deeply connected to the land for centuries. That connection remains strong today. There is a lot of knowledge in Aboriginal communities and Osum respects that knowledge. A fundamental belief that has been shared by Aboriginal leaders is that we must consider the impact of any decision on children generations away. Decisions made now must ensure the needs of future generations will be met. We agree with them.
Collaboration is Important
At Osum, we believe that working together with mutual respect creates the best situation for all parties affected by any project development. We have developed an Aboriginal Relations Vision Statement that outlines the long term approach to relationship-building and communication we’d like to take when it comes to collaborating with our Aboriginal partners.
Our goal is to always establish and maintain ongoing dialogue and productive relationships. Each project will have its own Aboriginal Consultation Plan and will help create positive interaction between Osum and the surrounding Aboriginal communities.
Dialogue for Development
We know that our Aboriginal neighbours have distinctive concerns about oil sands development in their area. Osum also recognizes that they have unique understanding of the land and all living things in the area and can inform our project operations.
This knowledge is valuable in determining the direction of our projects. Within each of our project areas, we’ve sought to engage Aboriginal leaders, designated representatives, administrators and community members in a variety of positive and productive discussions. We want to keep this dialogue ongoing throughout exploration, development and operation.
We are excited to introduce Violet March from the Cold Lake First Nations. Violet has kindly given us an amazing opportunity to record her speaking in Dene Suliné, her native language which is becoming increasingly rare amongst her people. In this video, Violet talks about how we can pursue working together in harmony asks questions like, "what would the ancestors say to today's youth?" and "how can we incorporate traditional knowledge into our daily business practices?".
We want every step of our processes from planning through implementation to involve transparent disclosure and respectful listening.
Osum's Aboriginal Consultation Policy (click to download).
At Osum, we strive to develop constructive and mutually beneficial relationships with the Aboriginal communities in our project areas. The purpose of these consultations is to exchange information and establish good decision making that is sound for the community and our company.
When Osum is planning projects, we need to:
- understand the traditional uses of the area by Aboriginal communities so we can protect those traditions;
- adhere to government regulation and respect the legal rights of our Aboriginal stakeholders; and
- create platforms for meaningful input from Aboriginal people.
Our goal in the consultation process is to develop and maintain positive and productive relationships with Aboriginal neighbours. It will enable us to determine the needs of the community and balance them with the needs of the project.
We Have Listened and Acted Upon What We Heard
Osum has made several design changes to the Taiga Project as a result of consultation and dialogue with First Nations. Specifically:
- the Central Processing Facility (CPF) for the project was moved to the West side of Highway 897 once it became clear that this location was preferred by First Nations Stakeholders, and
- pad placements and routing designs have been modified as a result of dialogue with First Nations stakeholders.
Community Information Sessions
Whenever possible, Osum will hold information sessions for Aboriginal communities through meetings with and presentations to leaders and the whole community. We also hold regular open houses to help the community understand exactly what we are proposing.
In addition to Town Halls we’ve held that are open to the general public, we’ve been permitted to host specific Town Halls and Information Sessions within a number Aboriginal communities, including:
- Cold Lake First Nations (Elders)
- Saddle Lake First Nation
- Frog Lake First Nation
- Metis Zone 2
We expect to hold additional sessions like these in the future, and to make them an ongoing part of our relations with aboriginal communities.
We believe the early, open dialogue will benefit everyone involved in and affected by any project development. We also know that planning must integrate traditional and contemporary, as well as environmental, economic and social perspectives in order to result in a project that delivers a truly balanced approach.
General Goals
Respecting legal rights of our Aboriginal neighbours is important to us as well as complying with Government regulations. We strive to exceed regulations when it is possible to do so.
Through all of the dialogue, we will be able to identify and understand expectations that the Aboriginal community has of us. We can then manage these expectations. We will also maximize our positive impact and minimize or completely avoid negative impacts.
Positive exchange of information and decision-making are also the desired goals of our consultation process. We believe that working together enhances every aspect of our community involvement and our business operations, and that is always our preferred approach.
Giving Back
Osum believes that being part of a community requires commitment and investment in it. We live here, too. We also believe that investing in youth is one of the most beneficial investments we can make in any community. We are committed to our Aboriginal community partners and want to have a positive impact on their lives.
Zone II Regional Council of the Metis Nation of Alberta Association-September 27, 2010
Zone II Regional Council of the Metis Nation of Alberta Association-March 14, 2011
Oski Pasikoniwew Kamik-March 21, 2011
If a need is identified by our partner communities, Osum is devoted to finding ways to help meet those needs. From educational materials to fieldtrips to playgrounds, we will help to meet the needs as we can. This kind of positive impact will outlive our projects and will offer benefits beyond the immediate need satisfaction.
This is the legacy Osum wants to leave in our project areas.