Mi'kmaw leaders considering MMIWG safety concerns tied to N.S. energy project

Mi'kmaw leaders in Nova Scotia say the safety of their communitiesis a "fundamental concern,"but are not saying how they expect the developers of aproposed$13-billionnatural gasprojectto ensure safety forMi'kmaqbeyond the boundaries of the work site.

Pieridae Energy's proposedGoldboro LNGprojectrequires a 5,000-person work camp to build the plant on the province's eastern shore, around 50 kilometres from Paqtnkek First Nation.

The national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) drew a link between the resource extraction industry's transient worker camps and violence against Indigenous women and called for industry to consider the safety of Indigenous women in project planning and mitigate risks.

"There is still a lot of work to be done, and many discussions to be had," the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Chiefs (ANSMC) said in an emailed statement to CBC News.

"Our goal . . . is that everything is in place to address the safety and well-being of our Mi'kmaw and Indigenous women, girls and LGBT2SQ+ community."

The group has scheduled awomen's only virtual forumfor June 30,the samedayPieridae is expected to make itsfinal investment decisions on the project. Mi'kmaw communitiesstand to make $720 million from the project with a51 per cent stake inthe camp's hospitality and rental operations.

Sipekne'katikFirst Nation Chief Mike Sack, who is no longer a member of the ANSMC,referred to Pieridae'ssafety plans as"baby steps," and said while he is not against industry, he thinks harm to Mi'kmaqis inevitable.

"They can't have 5,000 people there working, there's no way to track [negative impacts].It's just bad news," he said.

N.S. premier Iain Rankin told reporters Thursday the province expects Pieridae to address the safety concerns with the Mi'kmaq.

"They have an agreement in place that was signed with our First Nations here," Rankin said.

"I would expect . . .safety for everyone that's at the camp and it's something that we'll watch as a government as well."

But Connie Greyeyes,an expert witness in the MMIWG inquiry, said energyprojects are harmful beyond thework site.

"We're still seeing those projects are being pushed forward without real action on how to protect the communities or even prepare them for what's about to happen," said Greyeyes, who's currently the northern case manager for MMIWG with B.C.'sIndian Residential School Survivors Society.

Ripple effects

Greyeyes said there are still "really detrimental effects" being felt in communities in regions with heavy resource development, like northeast B.C.She highlighted those impacts ina 2016 report by Amnesty International called Out of Sight, Out of Mind.

"It's really frustrating because youput faith that [energy companies] aregoing to hold up their end . . . tokeep communities and the women and girls and the boys safe," she said.

"Then you realize quickly that their policies are actually not helpful."

In addition to dealing withthe immediate effects of sexual violence, Greyeyessaid, the ripple effects of resource projectscan ravagea community's social programs in areas like mental health and addictions.

She's urging Mi'kmaw community membersto study impact reports from previous projects.

'I wish we would have known'

Martina Saunders, of York Factory First Nation in Manitoba, spent eight years in the energy sector and is now an advocate for those who've faced sexual violence within the oil and gas industry.

"I wish we would have known whatwas to come frompartnering with a hydro project," Saunders said.

In 2017, Saunders resigned from her job withManitoba Hydro's Keeyask generating station.A 2018 report on the impacts of of hydro projects in northern Manitoba over the last 50 yearsfound allegations of sexual abuse by the utility's transient workers among First Nations.

Saunders said third-partyoversightof conduct policiesandlaw enforcement specific to the camps should be required.

"Policies are just a piece of paper," she said."There has to be action, ithas to be properly funded and it has to include an Indigenous perspective."

In astatement emailed June 16to CBC News, aspokesperson for Pieridae said the company is preparing information sessions, culturally relevantawareness training, camp safety and security protocols and a "REDress" installation at the entrance to the camp.

It said the company has a code of conduct for its employees andshould the project go ahead,the company would reach outto local law enforcement organizations.