Canadian Anthropology Society (CASCA)

Oral Presentation Session

Considering Metis Land Use and Rights in Environmental Assessment in Northern Alberta

Presenter(s)

• KW

  Keely Winnitoy

  Certes Applied and Natural Sciences

Co-Author(s)

Tania Therien (Certes)

In Alberta, current government policies regarding Métis consultation and guidelines for environmental impact assessment have created uncertainly around the assessment of Métis land use and rights in relation to industrial development.  In the absence of clear guidelines, parties in the regulatory dance that is impact assessment are collecting evidence to attempt to demonstrate who counts as Métis and what can be considered as Métis land use, rights, and culture.  This dance is unfolding with particular urgency in the oil sands region, where Métis communities have been unevenly engaged in regulatory processes related to industrial developments that have been impacting their lands and rights for decades.  This presentation will show how practitioners working in the field can identify and explore obstacles and opportunities posed by “official” definitions, concrete realities, and community needs in the evolving landscape of Métis rights.