Change of heart among aboriginal Canadians toward the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Project, 1970-2003

Abstract

The last three decades witnessed an astonishing change of heart among the Mackenzie Valley and Delta's aboriginal groups toward the reemerged Mackenzie Valley Pipeline project and associated industrial development. Vehement confrontation between indigenous residents of the northern Homelands and proponents of a new industrial Frontier has given way to mutually beneficial cooperation. This thesis examines the factors of this attitudinal change. First, the Berger Report and aboriginal testimonies are used to reveal the roots of the previous native opposition to the project, i.e., lack of control, inadequate capacities, and possible threats to subsistence. Next is the analysis of the current aboriginal support of industrial development, particularly anticipated revenues, business and employment opportunities, and the prospect of effective resource co-management, which are ensured by various aboriginal-industrial-governmental agreements, as well as by modem needs of the indigenous societies. This longitudinal analysis leads to the emergence of the factors which have prompted native people to change their attitudes (demographic and cultural changes) and empowered them to undertake the proposed development for the sake of their own sustainability (native legal, political, economic and informational capacity-building). The findings suggest that these same factors could contribute to a similar evolution in other Homeland- Wilderness-Frontier regions.