Beyond Hot Air Lecture #3  & IPW/CeSCoS Lecture 

Can we reconcile Indigenous self-determination and extractive activities in Canada?

Prof. Thierry Rodon, Université Laval, Canada & IPW, Uni Vienna

Date: 12 Mai 2025, 17:00-18.30 CEST, Hybrid

Venue: A 222/Konferenzraum, Institut für Politikwissenschaft, NIG, Universitätsstraße 7/2nd floor, 1010 Wien

Online: univienna.zoom.us/j/61317306546

This presentation explores the reconciliation of Indigenous self-determination and extractive activities in Canada, focusing on the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), adopted in 2007, establishes FPIC as a key standard, requiring states to obtain the consent of indigenous peoples before approving projects that affect their lands. However, FPIC remains controversial: while states see it as an obligation to consult, indigenous peoples see it as a right of decision linked to self-determination.

The presentation analyses Indigenous appropriation of FPIC through legal challenges, negotiations and community-led impact assessments, such as the Squamish Nation's process for an LNG terminal. Case studies, including uranium exploration in Quebec, demonstrate the growing role of Indigenous governance in resource development decisions. The conclusion argues that FPIC is a co-determination mechanism that requires meaningful engagement beyond consultation and industry agreements to reconcile Indigenous rights with state sovereignty.