Wet’suwet’en First Nation Delegates Return From China Trade Mission

Press Release

Last week, Chief Karen Ogen of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation (WFN) was selected to accompany B.C. Premier Christy Clark and the Minister of International Trade, the Honourable Teresa Wat, on an official Trade Mission to China. The mission saw delegates from various government, public and private industries across BC gather in China to hold meetings and events aimed on strengthening relations with key Chinese partners and investors.

During the trade mission, WFN’s Chief Ogen, along with Councilor Janice Nooski, and Chief Operating Officer of the Yinka Dene Economic Development General Partnership (YDEDLP), Shannon Haizimsque, were the only First Nation represented from the more than 200 nations in B.C. The sectors of focus for the mission were: Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Clean Technology, Agrifood and Seafood, and of particular importance to the Chief and WFN: Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Being a member of the delegation, the Chief was invited to present on the topic of Navigating Engagement and Partnerships with First Nations, as part of the panel presenting on the topic: Regulation of Upstream Natural Gas in BC. The Chief’s presentation to the conference’s attendees, made up of both Canadian and Chinese government and industry representatives, focused on the following topics:

Who First Nations are and why government and industry have a legal obligation to consult
Insight into First Nations’ values and traditions
The importance of partnering with First Nations in a meaningful and mutually beneficial way
How First Nations are an integral part of the LNG project development process
Examples of strong First Nations partnerships; suggestions how to engage and build
Introduction of the First Nations LNG Alliance (FNLNGA) and its work around educating and sharing knowledge in support of LNG development in BC

To see the full PowerPoint deck, please click here. To find out more about the FNLNGA, see its Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Other highlights of the mission included participation in:

networking luncheons with members of the business/investment and government communities (both domestic and foreign),
Guangdong Innovation & Technology seminar,
HQ Vancouver Investment seminar, and
the inauguration of the Royal BC Museum’s “Gold Mountain Dream” and “Glory of Friendship” exhibitions being displayed at the Guangdong Museum of Chinese Nationals Residing Abroad in Guangzhou, China.

Premier Christy Clark opened many the events with keynote speeches, and in most cases, acknowledged the importance of the contributions made by B.C. First Nations and thanked Chief Ogen and WFN for their participation in the trade mission.

Although WFN’s presence and message was an integral component to the mission, the Chief hopes to see the following outcomes for missions moving forward:

More First Nations representation; although it was important for WFN to take part, the Chief envisions future successful trade delegations to consist of significantly more First Nations representation from impacted territories.
Greater importance placed on the First Nations perspective; although a good number of delegates attended the panel discussion where the Chief presented, being able to consult and engage with First Nations, the right way, is vital to the success of LNG projects in the province.
More dialogue; the Chief was pleased at the number of interested parties and First Nations acknowledgement; however, more conversation needs to take place.
Although a step in the right direction, it is not enough for the B.C. Government to actively engage with First Nations. In order for projects to successfully move forward, industry (both domestic or foreign) must also build meaningful relationships with the communities impacted by proposed projects. First Nations need to be at the table from the beginning – not as an afterthought.

Also important to note, having YDEDLP participation in the mission was a highly valuable component which allowed for better understanding and facilitation of opportunities with foreign and domestic businesses. Several opportunities have come about in regards to environmental stewardship and economic development, including the exploration of fisheries and salmon issues in B.C.

The Trade Mission to China and Hong Kong was from October 30 – November 7, 2015. Hosted by the BC Government and led by Premier Christy Clark, the mission made stops in four major cities: Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

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