Resource Extraction, Neoliberalism, Free Trade and Violations of First Nations’ Human Rights across Canada

• In Event: 097 - Section on Human Rights Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 04. Human Rights in Colonial/Neocolonial Contexts

Abstract

Canadian federal and provincial governments are involved in routine violations of the human rights of indigenous peoples nationwide, particularly with regard to the internationally-recognized human rights of self-determination and Free, Prior and Informed Consent, as well as rights to land and resources, and to maintaining traditional cultures and ways of life. Much of these ongoing violations are driven by the resource extraction industries and other corporate, neoliberal “free trade” proponents. This paper seeks to provide readers with an overview of the scope of the problem, considering struggles against the tar sands and other forms of mining and fracking, as well as struggles against logging, hydroelectric dams, pipelines, free trade agreements, and unilateral omnibus changes to domestic legislation impacting First Nations rights. The paper then explores the commonalities among these First Nations struggles, with particular attention to federal and provincial violations of various First Nations’ constitutional rights in Canada and human rights internationally. Recent Canadian court rulings, their impact on domestic practices and/or the integration of binding international human rights agreements, and what this means for these various struggles will also be considered in some detail. Finally, the paper will seek to contextualize these government/corporate processes against which First Nations are struggling, as well as these First Nations struggles, within broader sociological literature. Some of the works considered will include David Harvey’s theory of accumulation by dispossession, Jack Forbes theory of “cannibalism,” among others.

Author

• Shana Siegel, Rochester Institute of Technology