Gary Merasty, photo courtesy National Energy Board.
An independent panel will be recommending the addition of Indigenous culture, tradition, and input into a modernized National Energy Board.
The panel is travelling across the country gathering suggestions on how to modernize the NEB, which has remained substantially unchanged for almost 60 years.
Former Saskatchewan Liberal MP Gary Merasty is co-chair of the review panel. He says a lot has changed since 1959 when the National Energy Board was set up.
Back then, First Nations people could not even vote. Now, he says, their input is more important than ever, with dozens of rulings from Canada’s highest court upholding the First Nation right to inclusion and consultation.
“In the last 58 years – especially the last decade – there has been numerous Supreme Court decisions that have changed the landscape on Indigenous rights,” he said. “Those need to be respected.”
Merasty is CEO OF Des Nedhe Developments, an English River First Nations company involved in everything from mining to real estate and retail. He says First Nations are not against development, they just want to make sure it is done right.
“There is a lot of science in the Indigenous community and the Indigenous world view,” he said.
“There’s ways and means to enhance and protect environmental stewardship that really addresses both sides of the equation.”
Last week the panel held two days of hearings in Saskatoon. In all there will be 10 public hearings.
It will submit is final report and recommendations to the government on May 15, and the report will be made public.