O Trade Shares its Key Takeaways after the PDAC 2021 Convention

March 22, 2021

After the incredible success of the 89th annual PDAC Convention 2021, the world’s premier mineral exploration and mining event which was held virtually between March 8th and March 11th, 2021, we would like to share with you the O Trade Indigenous Program sessions’ key takeaways.

Measuring Investment Success: How to Translate Corporate Values into Community Engagement with Indigenous and Traditional Peoples

In this session the panel analyzed how corporate values are pillars in the approach to community engagement and how best practices in the incorporation of values translates into savvy investment.

The session discussion was divided into three topics:

Part 1. Corporate values that influence community engagement.

The panelists highlight that corporate values such as transparency, honesty, and respect for communities translates into the methodologies and approaches used by companies in their community relations and efforts towards establishing dialogue. Kinross Gold and TECK shared examples illustrating the success of their engagement processes that were grounded in their organizational core values.

Part 2. Engagement of Indigenous and traditional peoples.

The panel moved the discussion to how the engagement of Indigenous peoples in the FPIC framework can be effective in translating principles such as inclusion and participation of traditional communities. Special attention was given to acknowledging that traditional communities, though not rooted as Indigenous peoples, have been settled in regions for centuries, and their attachment to the land and traditions, and the resulting objections to certain practices, are to be respected by companies.

Part 3. Is community engagement an investment or a cost?

The panel conducted an analysis of how community engagement is an asset for mineral projects not only due to the inherent value in securing the Social License to Operate, but also in ensuring honesty in transactions from new acquisitions to mergers; when an asset is bought which counts on the approval of impacted communities, this secures opportunities for the technical team to continue their work, the opposite being true when they acquire an asset with unknown consequences due to a lack of social approval – in this scenario, the company’s assets become a lost opportunity. An example is the transaction between Kinross Gold and Lundin Gold of Fruta Del Norte, which effectively demonstrates how Kinross’ works in community engagement and Indigenous relations led to the success of Lundin in building the mine in Ecuador.
As a conclusion, the panel agreed that investing in social and human capital and building zero-conflict environments for mineral projects increases their value and translates into opportunities for collaboration.

Indigenous Leaders Roundtable: The Mosaic of Perspectives in Exploration-Led Community Development

This session began from the agreement that Mineral exploration is not just the practice of finding minerals and mining is no longer simply a hole in the ground – it is an industry which impacts the livelihoods of human beings and the socio-economic environments of regions. The industry has the power to activate local economies while starting down the road to development in a conflict-free manner, acknowledging the rights of Indigenous peoples and the value mineral exploration has in paving the road towards development. The engagement of Indigenous peoples is strategic in the sense of how you build partnerships that secure stability and productivity for all, rather than conflict.
The discussion started with learning from Chief Ruben Pitiur, an Indigenous leader from Ecuador, who conducted an analysis on how survival for Shuars has been managing living in a jungle that, for outsiders, seems a hostile environment; what they are living today, however, is more hostile as they are not ready to compete with the outside world. The absence of education and infrastructure makes Indigenous peoples vulnerable, not because of their condition as Indigenous but, rather, because they are behind in accessing opportunities. His analysis also explains the impacts of being in an isolated area and of the lack of frameworks from the government to ensure their rights are protected.

Later, Chief Jason Gauthier, of the Missanabie Cree First Nation, from Canada, joined the conversation and expanded the analysis of the PFIC and the role of governments in ensuring land rights to protect Indigenous communities. The conversation between the two Chiefs illustrates the vulnerability of Indigenous peoples in the developing world and how important it remains to build awareness about bringing material solutions to address core issues rather than creating paternalistic programs that heighten the differences between mining companies and communities.
Both chiefs agree that Mining and Mineral Exploration are a key to starting development for Indigenous peoples, and Chief Pitiur is open to working within a framework of collaboration and respect.

About O Trade

O Trade is a socio-economic development firm with over twenty years of expertise in designing and implementing strategic ESG solutions to assist the private sector in partnering with local stakeholders.

Contact us by emailing monica@otrade.ca or calling +1 647 201 3161 to discuss how we can support your business endeavours.