My Online (Field) Placements with PILC and ANU

By Mackenzie Roop, 1st year MDP student

 The Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) specializes in assisting those who are too often pushed out of discussion around policy and quality legal representation. PILC offers advocacy for issues surrounding Indigenous peoples, human rights, the environment, and low-income persons. It is an honour and a privilege to work amongst such highly motivated and effective people.

The work that I’m doing is in response to a request by a First Nation organization to assess First Nations Entry into the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) established late 2019. I am reviewing the recommendations made by First Nations to the Expert Review Panel amending the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 2012, and how those recommendations transpired in the IAA. The hope is that this will more clearly illustrate the potential for meaningful First Nations participation in the environmental review process. The literature review highlighted key barriers to meaningful participation such as:

• The lack of Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC) as outlined in UNDRIP;
• The avoidance of more rigorous and encompassing impact evaluations via cumulative assessments and traditional knowledges; and
• The high expense incurred to First Nations to independently support the Impact Assessment process.

Many First Nations iterate that meaningful participation in the energy sector is key to reconciling Crown-Indigenous relationships. 

I am very grateful to work under Dr. Trish Fitzpatrick, Joelle Pastora Sala and Byron Williams. I am also working alongside fellow MDP colleague Kate! We have weekly check-in meetings with our supervisor Dr. Fitzpatrick, sometimes via socially distanced outside meetings over coffee, but mostly over Zoom. Here is a screenshot from one of our many Zoom meetings:

Top L-R: Dr. Trish Fitzpatrick and Mackenzie Roop. Bottom L-R: Kate Robb and Byron Williams

I am simultaneously working for the Centrefor Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at the Australian National University (ANU) in support of the Grand Challenge Initiative pursuing “Zero Carbon Energy for the Asia Pacific” (ZCEAP). I am researching Canadian case studies of Indigenous-led renewable energy projects. This will hopefully further inform the comparative opportunities of First Nations in Australia. As a settler who is half Canadian and half Australian, I am really excited to be doing research from a cross-regional perspective. The MDP has taught me a lot about the true history and reality of Turtle Island, but I have far less knowledge and experience of the situation in Australia. Having this opportunity to connect and think about the parallels between these two colonized lands is really special. I am extremely grateful to Janet Hunt and Brad Riley for supporting my research and for the opportunity to work on such an amazing, forward looking project.

Working from Home

This is my humble workspace! After several zoom meetings interrupted by my attention-seeking cat, I decided to move to a space where I could close the door. The natural light helps me focus and keep positive.

I have found time management one of my main challenges under COVID-19. Because I normally like to leave the house to study or work, I find it difficult to stay in the same place for long periods of time. I have found myself switching up my work environment by working on the porch or at the dining table. I also make it a point of trying to go outside at least once a day, either by tending to my garden or going for a bike or run to the river. This helps me keep perspective on the greater world around me.

Recapturing economic leakage at Northern Manitoba

By Elijah Osei-Yeboah, 2nd year MDP student

In Manitoba, development is uneven, favouring the south. One strategy the province intends to adopt to correct this imbalance is recapturing economic leakage ― reducing the expenditure on goods and services accessed outside the north. Currently, many countries and communities believe free trade promotes economic growth, therefore, it is impossible to avoid leakage entirely. Hence, the goal is to reduce it. An economic development forum was organized in Thompson April 9 – 10, 2019 for northern development stakeholders like economic development officers, chiefs, councillors and other staff of municipalities. This was seen as an opportunity to gather preliminary data for reducing leakage.

There were 100 respondents. They were given sticky notes to indicate the goods they bought outside the north, why they bought them, if they were accessible online, which new businesses can be easily established and the ones which can quickly accelerate northern economic growth. The sample size and non-probability techniques adopted (convenience and purposive) are not statistically significant but the findings can be a part of preliminary studies to recapture leakage. 

When I started my placement, the data had been gathered. My assignment was to enter and analyze the data and write a report on it. I analyzed the data with Microsoft Excel and presented the findings with charts and tables.  Some of the findings were that the two most accessed goods and services were (a) clothing and accessories, and (b) recreation, entertainment and sports (examples include electronics, events, hunting/ fishing/ camping and recreation vehicles/ equipment). The main justification for shopping outside the north was that the goods they needed were unavailable locally. Less than a quarter (22%) of the respondents purchased their goods online. Online shopping is very convenient but it is fraught with problems including delivering wrong products, items sometimes do not fit well, consumers often pay for shipping, etc. 

Elijah in front of the Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade office

Project proposal for introducing 4-H Programs to the First Nations Communities in Manitoba

By Elijah Osei Yeboah, 2nd year MDP student

4-H is an international organization which educates and engages children and youth (6-25 years) in activities of their interest while equipping them with essential skills such as public speaking and leadership. 4-H programs have many direct and indirect benefits. The direct ones include helping participants to acquire and hold jobs and equip participants with relevant employment skills such as teamwork and time management. Also, they engage the youth in meaningful activities that can help build their lives. Volunteerism is encouraged which is an indicator of social capital. Many development practitioners believe high social capital strongly correlates with development. The indirect benefits are the returns on having well-trained children and youth who can contribute immensely to the growth of their communities, provinces, Canada and the world at large.

4-H clubs have been present in the province since 1913. In fact, the first Canadian club was formed in Manitoba. However, there is no club in First Nations communities now because the few ones which were started were not sustained. This project seeks to develop and run 4-H programs in First Nations communities in Manitoba. The project will be piloted in 2 southern First Nations communities and 2 northern communities for a year and scaled up based on the evaluation findings. The project expansion will be guided by a 12 year development plan which will be developed with the project stakeholders.

The goal of the project is to promote youth development through socio-economic, political and cultural activities. Project coordinators will be employed to ensure the day-to-day running of the project. The community coordinators should have a very good understanding of Indigenous issues in Canada. They should not live more than a 100 km radius of the community to make it easy for them to visit the communities easily. This can help them perform their duties well and also build a good relationship with the community residents. The following organizations/leaders will partner with 4-H Manitoba to implement this project:

•             Department of Agriculture, Manitoba
•             Agricultural Services Canada
•             Indigenous and Northern Relations
•             Indigenous Services Canada
•             Chief and council of First Nations communities in Manitoba
•             Community-based organizations

The 4-H pledge below guides all 4-H activities.

4-H Pledge. Source: 4-H Manitoba, 2019