Aboriginal Issues and Canadas Oil and Gas Sector

The document discusses the legal and political influence of First Nations over natural resource development in Canada, highlighting the 'duty to consult' and the impact of changes to environmental assessments. It provides data on Canada's oil production and exports, primarily to the US, and analyzes the role of royalties and fossil fuel subsidies. Finally, it argues that current energy sector support is inconsistent with the global carbon budget and the need to limit temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius.

• First Nations have a significant legal and practical influence on resource development, having won approximately 180 court cases related to natural resources. This has resulted in a 'veto-like say' over major projects, meaning that if First Nations oppose a project, it is almost impossible for it to be built.
• The federal government's 'duty to consult' with Aboriginal communities is often viewed as a mechanical process of checklists rather than genuine engagement, contributing to the 'Idle No More' movement. Furthermore, changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act in 2012 caused the number of annual federal environmental assessments to drop from approximately 6,000 to roughly 30.
• Canada's oil production in 2013 was about 1.3 billion barrels, with the Alberta oil sands producing 1.7 million barrels a day and conventional sources producing 1.3 million. Approximately 70 percent of total production is exported, with the United States accounting for nearly 98 percent of those exports.
• Energy sector royalties contribute significantly to provincial revenues, ranging from nearly 30 percent in Newfoundland and Labrador to 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, consisting of $100 million in direct grants and $700 million in tax breaks, primarily for front-end exploration.
• To maintain a global 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.

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} }