Aboriginal Issues and Canadas Oil and Gas Sector

This briefing, based on a speech by Scott Vaughan delivered on February 7, 2014, examines the intersection of Aboriginal rights, natural resource ownership, and the oil and gas sector in Canada. It discusses the legal influence of First Nations over resource development, the fiscal dynamics of oil royalties and subsidies, and the broader implications of fossil fuel production for the global carbon budget and climate change.

• First Nations have significant legal influence over resource development in Canada, having won approximately 180 court cases related to natural resources. This legal standing, combined with the 'duty to consult,' effectively gives First Nations a "veto-like say over major resource development projects," meaning projects are nearly impossible to build if First Nations oppose them.
• Changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act in 2012 significantly reduced the volume of federal environmental assessments from approximately 6,000 per year to roughly 30. Additionally, National Energy Board reviews now restrict standing to communities that are 'directly affected' by proposed projects.
• Canada's oil production in 2013 was approximately 1.3 billion barrels, with the Alberta oil sands producing 1.7 million barrels a day and conventional sources producing 1.3 million barrels a day. Approximately 70 percent of total production is exported, with the United States accounting for almost 98 percent of those exports.
• Energy sector royalties contribute significantly to provincial revenues, ranging from nearly 30 percent in Newfoundland and Labrador, roughly 20 percent in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and about 10 percent in British Columbia.
• The Canadian federal government provided up to $800 million to the fossil fuel sector in the previous year, consisting of $100 million in direct grants and $700 million in tax breaks, primarily for front-end exploration write-offs.
• To maintain a global average temperature cap of 2 degrees Celsius, the global carbon budget requires a reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 60 percent, moving from approximately 35 billion tons per year to 15 billion tons.

APA

Vaughan, S. (2014). Aboriginal Issues and Canadas Oil and Gas Sector. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/speech_canada_oil_gas_sector.pdf

Chicago

Vaughan, Scott. Aboriginal Issues and Canadas Oil and Gas Sector. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2014. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/speech_canada_oil_gas_sector.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Vaughan |first1=Scott |title=Aboriginal Issues and Canadas Oil and Gas Sector |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=7 February 2014 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/speech_canada_oil_gas_sector.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vaughan2014aboriginal, author = {Vaughan, Scott}, title = {{Aboriginal Issues and Canadas Oil and Gas Sector}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2014}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/speech_canada_oil_gas_sector.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }