BHP signs agreement with Fishing Lake, Beardy's
- EFN Staff | October 08, 2014
Councillor Sheryl Kayseas has hopes that potash will build her community a new school. Kayseas hails from Fishing Lake First Nation where their school is a ramshackle gathering of disconnected portables with exposed above ground gas lines. But because of an agreement signed with BHP Billiton in Saskatoon recently, Kayseas sees a brighter future for her community’s children.
“It is good to be here with BHP Billiton, the largest mining company on the planet,” said Kayseas at the signing ceremony. “Their goal is to maximize profit for their shareholders. I represent Fishing Lake First Nation and our goal is to maximize the health and well-being of our children. So what do we have in common? A non-renewable resource called potash that is located in our traditional Treaty 4 territory.”
BHP Billiton, Fishing Lake First Nation and Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation have signed an Opportunities Agreement for First Nation participation in the Jansen Potash Project. The Opportunities Agreement, which is the second to be signed by BHP Billiton and Saskatchewan First Nations, creates mutually beneficial opportunities in employment, business and community development arising from BHP Billiton’s Jansen Potash Project. The agreement includes commitments to capacity-building initiatives in education, training and labour force development. The agreement will also assist in the building of the First Nations business capacity by outlining a process for entrepreneurs and community-owned business development corporations’ access to project-related business opportunities for the Jansen Project.
“We at BHP Billiton have a strong commitment to sustainability. This commitment includes ensuring we create and maintain meaningful, long-term relationships with the communities in which we operate and around our projects,” said BHP Billiton Canada President Alex Archila. “In signing this agreement, we believe that it will ensure the members of these First Nations can participate meaningfully in the opportunities that arise from the Jansen Project and will enrich the work we do together now and into the future,” he added.
“Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation appreciates the opportunity to work together with BHP Billiton to ensure our community will benefit from the Jansen Project’s development and planned operations. We are satisfied with the process undertaken by BHP Billiton to engage with our community for a mutual understanding, and the commitments we’ve all made,” said Chief Rick Gamble.
Kayseas openly invited the media to come to Fishing Lake to see the condition of the school to understand the goals and needs of their children. “As we see the wealth from our territory be removed and exported, we seek to achieve something from this,” said Kayseas. “We are here today to sign an agreement which formalizes our relationship, and healthy relationships are built on principles like respect. We have a real opportunity now to build and develop a fruitful relationship to ensure real benefits from the Jansen Project are realised. Now the work begins.”