Chiefs want share of Potash revenues

Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Chief Guy Lonechild is demanding First Nations people get a piece of Saskatchewan’s pink-gold.

“First Nations deserve a share in the revenue of potash,” he said. “The treaties are alive and well and natural resources need to be shared.”

Potash has made international headlines recently over BHP’s attempt at a hostile take-over of PotashCorp. However, the Australian company’s $40 million dollar bid was halted by Industry Minister Tony Clement, but BHP has 30-days to reconsider its offer, meaning the debate over one of the world’s hottest commodities isn’t over yet.

No matter the outcome of the bid, Lonechild says he is worried Saskatchewan’s First Nations people are going to lose out.

He recently asked close to 3,500 members of the business community to support the call for resource revenue sharing with First Nations people at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Regina.

The FSIN is proposing numerous ways to split the money, Chief Lonechild added, and the organization would like to see 15 per cent of potash revenues redistributed to the province’s First Nations people.

He said money could be invested in business partnerships and training opportunities so First Nations people can fully participate in Saskatchewan’s economy, but specifically within the potash sector.

“We have, approximately, a 500 year supply of potash. We are home to half of the world’s potash. It is in our territory so obviously we have to rethink how we want to shape the future of our province and First Nations people need to be involved,” Chief Lonechild said.

He is asking the potash industry to look at First Nations youth as potential employees, noting that only one percent of PotashCorp’s workers are Aboriginal.

“All companies that operate in our treaty territories need to have First Nations people involved. The sooner we see that both industry and government are taking part in getting First Nations people involved, the better off we will be,” he said.

Chief Lonechild said FSIN plans to table a paper in the provincial legislature proposing specific revenue sharing strategies.

“We’re just eager to see what the province has to say about it and how they might respond,” he added.
Chief Lonechild said if elders advise the federation to take legal action that will happen.

“We have a lot of strong-willed leaders, he said.
National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Shawn Atleo, has also publicly stated his support of Chief Lonechild’s push for resource revenue sharing.

Chief Lonechild said the non-Aboriginal community seems to be responding quite positively to the idea of revenue sharing with First Nations people. However, he is disappointed with Premier Brad Wall’s initial response.
Wall maintains that natural resources are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the province because of the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement of the 1930’s transferring control of resources from the federal government to the province.

“I would encourage him to take a second look,” said Chief Lonechild. “Any leader of the provincial government needs to realize we are an important part of the economy. We have a treaty relationship and the government needs to start walking the walk and honouring the spirit and intent of those agreements.”

Potash is currently Saskatchewan’s biggest resource. In August, the provincial government estimated it would bring in 205 million dollars from potash royalties. In 2008-09, the province raked in more than 1.36 billion dollars because of a spike in commodity prices.

Chief Lonechild said revenue from the potash sector could help turn things around for many First Nations people. He said there needs to be a shift so the province can see First Nations youth playing a key role in this sector.
“As opposed to welfare and social assistance dependencies. As opposed to increased health and justice and incarceration rates - these are some of the problems we face and this is how we currently participate in the economy. It’s time to start turning the page and moving towards economic sustainability,” he said.

Chief Lonechild added that First Nations people are the fastest growing community. “It’s important for young people to say there are opportunities here at home in Saskatchewan. They don’t have to leave,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan-based Indigenous Potash Group is working on a bid of its own. The group has raised $25 million dollars from investors in countries such as China, India, and Brazil.

Members of the group have been meeting with lawyers to find out how they can proceed following the federal government’s rejection of BHP’s bid.

The group maintains the importance of sharing the profits from potash with Canada’s Indigenous peoples. Chief Lonechild stated the FSIN is not part of the Indigenous Potash Group.