The Ethics Of Indigenous Engagement

There's no shortage of companies in the natural resources sector looking to partner with Indigenous communities – but not all partnerships are built on level playing fields.

Some Indigenous communities have developed great capacity and are very business savvy – when they're approached by a potential business partner, they're ready to conduct their due diligence and negotiate a fair deal.

Other communities don't have the same resources to evaluate potential business partners – and they may find themselves at risk of being taken advantage of, said Billie Fortier, a partner in the MLT Aikins Calgary office and a member of Forward Summit's leadership council.

"Of course there will always be some unequal bargaining power among parties when they're entering into negotiations, but I've seen one-sided agreements with First Nations and Indigenous companies that I find really distressing and unethical," Fortier said during a panel discussion on the ethics of Indigenous