By CRAIG GILBERT
Greater Sudbury – The first-ever Learning Together Conference ended with a lot of talk of having to start somewhere.
The event was designed to act as an invitation from First Nations to the mining industry. Held at the Radisson Hotel in Greater Sudbury Feb. 22-23, its aim was to build relationships between mining and exploration companies and First Nation communities.
At its peak during the keynote address and video presentation by noted American anti-racism activist Jane Elliott about 140 people were there, many of them invited through the school system. Elliot is known for her groundbreaking blue eyes-brown eyes racism awareness experiment.
The last workshop of the conference, a plenary session featuring a Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association (SAMSSA) perspective on partnerships with First Nations, attracted about 35 attendees.
SAMSSA executive director Dick DeStefano expressed his regret at having seen only three of his organization’s 60 members at the conference.
But Missanabie Cree First Nation Chief Glenn Nolan (Missanabie hosted the conference) was more upbeat.
He saw three of 60 as a “100-per-cent success.
“We’ve never met them before. We have to start somewhere. Ripples become waves.”
Starting small and sticking with it is how Air Creebec, now over 30 years old, developed into a successful transportation alternative in Quebec and Ontario.
Air Creebec is a 100 per cent Cree-owned company that has developed a market for travellers of all Native and non-Native regions, according to its website.
Robert Ottereyes, now director general of Eenou Drilling Inc., gave a lunch hour address about how Air Creebec, which he helped found, has come to be on the first day of the conference.
At the SAMSSA session, he said the company should be an example of what First Nations can accomplish in the business world.
“Air Creebec lost millions in its first few years, and we have started businesses that have folded since,” Ottereyes said. “In 30 years, I learned that if you don’t do it, someone will do it for you.
(Mining companies) used to get in, diamond drill and get out. No Cree content or labour.”
Now, Impact Benefit Agreements, including revenue sharing and training partnerships are moving into the mainstream.
The aim of the conference was to build bridges between the Aboriginal community and the mining industry. There was precious little representation from the industry there, but DeStefano said he felt positively about the spirit of the meeting.
“Whatever you’re doing here is a good start. Your vision can become a reality, because some of us are doing it. Many of the First Nation groups I’ve seen at this conference are very proactive and their door is open.”
But he admits his membership is made up of companies that for the most part aren’t necessarily in a position to pursue business partnerships with First Nations groups.
“They need to be complimented on trying to understand what business partnerships are all about,” he said in a phone interview after the conference. “And their chiefs, the leadership is very good, they are to be commended as well.”
Mine supply and service companies are reluctant to invest in a project until there is some sort of concrete action taking place, he said.
The attitude of working together is one DeStefano would like to see more of, but he admits it will take time to build up the level of expertise needed to forge a solid relationship with a mine supply company within First Nation communities.
“The attitude is let’s see what we can do together, which is very good. It’s opening up another avenue for them. I was surprised at the amount of energy going into building relationships.”
Andre Dumais, sales and marketing project manager for Sudbury’s Bestech Engineering, said the conference was a positive experience, but only vaguely applicable to his company.
As DeStefano said, there isn’t a lot of justification for the company to spend a lot of time and money in Northern Ontario on a partnership with a First Nations group at this point. The Victor Mine project in Attawapiskat was discussed heavily at the conference, but for a company like Bestech, it’s just happening too soon to warrant that sort of investment.
The mine will be online within three years, but it takes at least four to six years to train an engineer.
“For a small company, it’s hard to invest a lot in awareness and training,” he said. “But that attitude may change if more projects come online.”
