TRTFN Mining Policy, March 2007
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5. TRTFN Government seeks to work cooperatively and engage in shared decisionmaking with the British Columbia and/or Federal Governments, in order to achieve
those objectives in the context of specific proposals. TRTFN will seek to work with
those governments in ways that are consistent with BC’s New Relationship with First
Nations, which is designed, among other things:
a. “to establish processes and institutions for shared decision-making about the
land and resources and for revenue and benefit sharing”, recognizing that
“these inherent rights flow from the First Nations’ historical and sacred
relationship with their territories”;
b. “to achieve First Nations’ self-determination through the exercise of their
aboriginal title including realizing the economic component of aboriginal title,
and exercising their jurisdiction over the use of the land and resources through
their own structures”; and
c. “to ensure that lands and resources are managed in accordance with First
Nations laws, knowledge and values and that resource development is carried
out in a sustainable manner including the primary responsibility of preserving
healthy lands, resources and ecosystems for present and future generations.”
6. TRTFN Government will also consider working cooperatively with proponents who
wish to enter into a relationship with TRTFN based on:
a. recognition and respect for TRTFN Aboriginal rights, title and interests, and
the responsibility of TRTFN Government to protect those; and
b. a commitment to promote the TRTFN objectives in Section 4: to protect and
accommodate TRTFN rights, title and interests, ensure environmental,
economic, social and cultural sustainability, and provide social and economic
benefits for the TRTFN community.
7. Such cooperative working arrangements will normally be based on one or more
written agreements between TRTFN Government and a proponent, in order to
promote the achievement of those objectives during the various stages of mining
projects, including exploration, development, production, decommissioning,
reclamation and post-closure monitoring and maintenance.
8. Agreements with proponents will normally establish working arrangements and
provide for TRTFN’s participation in the applicable phases of the regulatory process,
including feasibility studies, project design, environmental impact assessment,
accommodation negotiations, impacts and benefits agreement negotiations and final
regulatory approvals.
9. After concluding the steps agreed to in cooperative working agreements, TRTFN
Government will consider giving consent and support for mining-related projects in
the Territory. Such consent and support will be based on TRTFN Government’s
decision whether the proposal, as modified by measures agreed to in the