Land Decolonized Podcast

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Jasmine Pouce Coupe has some advice for First Nations considering adopting their own land codes to take control of their lands and resources. Communicate well, and often! Repeat important messages to your community members.

Jasmine is helping guide Doig River First Nation, near Fort St. John, BC, as it develops a community-based land code. Has the effort been worth it? Absolutely, she says, and even more important now that Doig River has signed a Land Entitlement Agreement after 23-years of negotiation, a deal that will see a new urban reserve and new business development.

As she told host Richard Perry, she is incredibly proud of the community's accomplishments.

Episode runs 20:36.

Land Decolonized was ranked #1 in Apple Canada's non-profit directory in May 2021. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

LINKS
To reach Jasmine by email: [email protected]
Doig River First Nation website
Land Management Resource Centre website

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Kim Guerin learned from an early age that a small First Nation could take on the Canadian government and win.

Her father spearheaded a legal battle over lease rights that went to the Supreme Court. R v Guerin affirmed that Ottawa has a fiduciary duty to a First Nation, that it is in a position of trust to act on the First Nation's best interests.

Musqueam is also part of the growing Land Code movement in Canada. It managed its own lands and resources in one of the most populated urban centres in Canada...the heart of Vancouver.

Ms. Guerin spoke with host Richard Perry about pride in community and why she sees land and sovereignty as critical pieces of Musqueam's future.

LINKS:
Musqueam Indian Band
First Nations Land Management Resource Centre
R. v Guerin Supreme Court decision

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In this episode, land management trainee Bart Metansinine talks about his community of Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek (AZA), which was once known as the Lost Nation. By signing onto the Framework Agreement on First Nations Land Management, Bart says his community can move forward with development that will attract members home.

He credits fellow band staff members, Land Management Resource Centre staff and Dokis First Nation Chief Gerry Duquette, Jr. for their mentorship during his journey from working in the woods to a career in carpentry and now land management.

Links:
AZA website
Land Management Resource Centre
Episode 2  with Chief Gerry Duquette, Jr,  Dokis First Nation
Bart Metansinine email: [email protected]
John Makson, Exec. Producer, email: [email protected]

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In this episode, you'll meet Tania Solonas, land management officer with the McLeod Lake Indian Band. With about 500 members, MLIB is one of the most experienced First Nations with the land code process, being the second in the province and among the first in Canada to sign onto the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management.

You'll discover:

• how the Band's addition to Treaty 8 in 2000 sparked interest in the land code;
• why having a land code isn't a one-shot deal; it can be modified over time;
• challenges exist even with a land code. Some community priorities can still wait years for implementation;
• why the community sees a need to ratify an amendment this year to address enforcement issues;
• where McLeod Lake Indian Band sees future development opportunities beyond the current Duz Cho Group of Companies.

For more information, visit www.mlib.ca. Please comment wherever you listen to this podcast. You can also send comments or suggestions to our executive producer John Makson at [email protected] or host Richard Perry at [email protected]

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Show Notes

Down...but not out!

On this episode of the Land Decolonized podcast, Jordon Hatton shares the incredible comeback story of Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabeck, an Ojibwa First Nation in Ontario. Its land was taken by the province in the 1940s to make a provincial park, but was eventually returned so a new reserve could be created.

Jordan is Director of Economic Development. He shares the sad history of the dispossession, but the modern climate that saw the land returned, a reserve created, and a Land Code passed by the community in 2014.

Key topics:

• Location and history of Sand Point First Nation
• The rationale for signing onto the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management
• Key goals in community and land planning
• Forecasting potential economic opportunities and residential development

Links:

Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabeck
First Nations Lands Management Resource Centre

Jordan Hatton's email: [email protected]

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With the 2021 annual general meeting right around the corner, Lands Advisory Board Chair Robert Louie joins host Richard Perry for a thorough review of current challenges and opportunities around the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management, including the Covid pandemic, fires and floods in western Canada, and the ongoing delays over a key legislative change needed in Ottawa.

Robert offers his personal take on:

• what de-colonization means on the road to economic and political independence;
• his frustration over political delays on necessary legislative reform;
• his appreciation for regional Resource Centre staff who have worked through difficult circumstances while serving land code communities;
• the need for greater public education on  reconciliation and the value of economic empowerment of First Nations.
• the importance of resisting colonial mindsets and lingering practices.
  
  Links:
• Long Plain First Nation and Canada settle 100-year-old land sales dispute for $32 million (CBC News article mentioned in our conversation)
• First Nation Lands Management Resource Centre
• Framework Agreement on First Nations Land Management FAQs
• Land Decolonized podcast page on FNLMRC website

SHOW IDEAS? Contact John Makson, executive producer: [email protected] or [email protected].  Contact Richard Perry, host: [email protected]

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Respected elder Albert Marshall, Sr. joins Richard to talk about his lifelong quest to protect the environment in the face of continued demands to use Indigenous lands and resources for economic development.

He discusses the two important concepts of Two-Eyed Seeing and Netukulimk and how they can help reach consensus on the best path forward. To Albert, it's all about talking with one another and listening deeply.

LINKS:

Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources home page
Concept of Netukulimk explained
Article: Did Eels Change the Course of History?
First Nations Land Management Resource Centre

2021 Virtual Annual General Meeting details - Dec. 14/15, 2021

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SHOW NOTES:
1:24   Ty describes the rationale for his community entering the Land Code process.
2:49   Having a land code has cleared up some confusion and potential conflicts of interest around land use.
5:44   Ty's background in environmental and soil sciences is ideal for his current work as reserve land manager. His work experience began up north.
8:35 Land codes are always a work in progress, but environmental protection is in the draft stage for all 19 reserves, ensuring that quality of lands is sacrosanct and that violations will lead to stuff penalties. No longer 'the wild west.'
12:17  Talks are underway to explore Treaty 6 agricultural benefits, more commonly referred to 'Cows and Plows'. Chief and council taking the lead on this.
13:55   A huge benefit is being able to take advantage of owning huge tracts of agricultural land - about 35,000 acres that is rented out. That revenue is no longer controlled by Indigenous Services Canada.
15:35   Lac La Ronge Indian Band has stepped in to help with emergency relief for homeless people in the tri-communities area.
19:12.  Ty comments on a recent award to Chief Tammy Cook-Searson by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.
21:09. The community is launching ground radar searching for the graves of those lost in two residential schools in the area.
22:31   Ty describes the emotional difficulties when talking about de-colonizing, the need to be heard and recognized so people can hear the truth, that there will no reconciliation without the truth. He says Land Code can help.
25:01.  He has been fortunate in his own life to succeed in the outside education, but has benefited from traditional teaching, so has seen himself walking in two worlds.
26:51. Ty has exciting news about the birth of their first son, Watson Edward Roberts!
28:00. His contact: [email protected]. The band also has an active website and Facebook page which has current info including job postings.
28:51  Richard's extra and call-to-action to visit labrc.com for current news and important upcoming online events.

LINKS:
Ty Roberts email - [email protected]
Lac La Ronge Indian Band website
Lac La Ronge Indian Band Facebook page
First Nations Land Management Resource Centre website

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Richard welcomes John Makson, senior public relations advisor, to episode 30 of the Land Decolonized podcast. John has worked with the resource centre in several important capacities and has taken the lead on the creation and promotion of this top-ranked Apple Canada podcast.

In this episode he talks about why the podcast is engaging listeners (not just in Canada) and what he envisions for the upcoming season.

John is a proud member of the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, from the Wolf Clan, of the Kahienkeha’ka people from South Eastern Ontario. After attending Queen’s university John moved to British Columbia to work with the Federal Treaty Negotiation office in 1998. John moved on to Statistics Canada to work on the 2001 Aboriginal Census and Aboriginal People’s Survey, and then to the start-up First Nations Statistical Institute.

John accepted a full-time position with the First Nations Land Management Resource Centre in 2007.  John has worked as a field technician in BC and was the Manager for the Western team. For 10 years he was happy to have worked with communities throughout British Columbia on their land code process and community ratification votes. In 2016 John accepted the position of Manager of Communications, and most recently, went on to focus on Public Relations for the Lands Advisory Board and Resource Centre. 

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Samantha Nogonash, former Deputy Chief and current Land Manager of the Magnetawon First Nation Samantha shares a wonderful on-the-ground perspective on day-to-day land management. Having been operational with a land code for the past 6 years, Magnetawan has made turtles a priority for their environmental protection activities and believes Land Decolonized ultimately means community control and collective decision making.

We want to thank everyone who joined us for a successful Season 1 of the podcast! We will be back with our first show of Season 2 in Fall 2021.

SHOW NOTES

1:40 Samantha Noganosh talks about her role as deputy chief and now lands manager. She will focus totally on that by not running in the upcoming band election.
2:35 Why was she so intrigued about land management? Elders helped push her along after college.
3:28  Magnetawan is celebrating its 6th anniversary with land code.
4:09 Its land code was amended to account for a transmission line extension and future development opportunities.
5:15 Samantha talks about establishing a lands committee and the challenges around the Covid-19 pandemic. Needed to move to more online communications.
5:54. A brief chat about community health during the pandemic. Currently at 72% vaccination rate (fully.)
6:28 Band is located on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, about three hours north of Toronto. A hot spot for wildlife and species at risk.
7:00 Species at risk was a huge motive for taking more control of their land, plus future business opportunities. Highway 69 widening was also an issue. Wanted to help reduce the turtle kill on the highway.
8:53 With the highway widening it should bring new economic opportunities.
9:18  Huge thanks to FNLMRC for its assistance and also to other national contacts.
9:50  Sees benefits to community and congratulates other 100 communities.
10:15 Land decolonization means community control and community decision-making.  Land code helps with collective decision-making.
12:00 Samantha comments on land code being "one of community's most historic events."
12:34 Protecting turtles was focus of one of the new laws created on environmental protection. Band was compensated by a law-breaker by receiving turtle incubators. Has moved into a new office with a laboratory to help the turtles along.
14:20 Check out their Facebook page!
14:39 Richard promotes band website and mentions summer break with the podcast returning in September 2021.

LINKS
Magnetawan First Nation website
Magnetawan Lands & Resources Facebook Page (highlights turtle program)
First Nations Land Management Resource Centre