Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA # 14: Aboriginal Voice in Environmental Impact Assessment: A preliminary proposal to create a national database of public record statements by Northern Aboriginal people elicited during environmental assessment processes.  (Aboriginal Voice in Environmental Impact Assessment: A preliminary proposal to create a national database of public record statements by Northern Aboriginal people elicited during environmental assessment processes)

Outline
The objective of this project is to identify, collect, digitize and make available through the web public statements made in Environmental Impact scoping and hearing sessions on large projects in the north. It is specifically concerned with Aboriginal statements in the same. There are two phases envisioned: The first would begin with the current Federal legislative regime (CEAA) in 1992 and extend to the present. The second phase begins with the former legislative regime (EARP) in 1985 to 1992. For the immediate purposes of this study the North would include all three Territories, territory under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, and Labrador. All large projects that come under the terms of the scoping and/or comprehensive review processes would be targeted for inclusion in the database. The transcripts will be located, digitized, and coded according to a series of themes to be determined through a consultative process. Metadata on each transcript and intervention will also be collected. A database will created to organize the data and a user interface developed to permit wide access. Public participation is enshrined in legislation governing the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process in Canada. The CEAA explicitly positions public involvement in EIA as opportunities for local and traditional knowledge to influence the identification of potential impacts. For Aboriginal peoples, the EIA process is one of very few avenues available for the public at large to voice their concerns, questions and opinions about industrial development and the effects of change generally. Their statements are based in the historical depth and cultural commitment people have with the lands in question. They are also remarkable exhibitions of engagement in civil society and demonstrate the desire that Aboriginal people have to be taken into account in decision-making that affects them and all Canadians. Despite the importance of public participation in EIA it has received little attention from the research community in Canada. No consistent effort has been made to understand the dynamics of Aboriginal involvement in the process nor to work at a nuanced understanding of what effects participation creates, how public discourse is conveyed, how it has changed over time, the effects of Aboriginal language use, nor, indeed, what it is that is being said. A systematic assessment of public participation may serve to track changing social, ecological and economic conditions broadly, and link seemingly disparate ecological effects into a broader framework of understanding.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project is intended to contribute to themes 2 and 6 of the CIPY pre-proposal document. With respect to Change, the database will allow for qualitative data to be georeferenced and coded according to a scheme to be determined. Change statements (social, ecological, environmental…) will figure in the coding. Change over time will be encoded within each relevant transcript and the database will allow for comparisons of change statements between projects and time frames. Working with spontaneously produced change statements in discourse is a novel approach to the issue of articulating Aboriginal perspectives on the environmental with impact assessment practice. The Human Dimension is very prominent in this project. The database will allow for the collection and analysis of cultural, historical and social dimensions of indigenous people’s lifeways in interaction with large scale industrial development. By making coherent the broadly dispersed record of public! participation the unique contributions of Aboriginal peoples will be recognized and better understood. The database will provide a legacy to scientific and indigenous communities and organizations who will be able to draw from it to better understand future effects of change in the natural, social and economic spheres.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Initially, the international dimension of this project will consist of comparative studies on public participation in EA. As international collaborators and organizations are identified we will examine the possibility of developing complementary databases in other Circumpolar regions.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
For the immediate purposes of this study the North would include all three Territories, territory under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, and Labrador. The project will be housed at the University of Alberta.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The University of Alberta is home to the Text Analysis Portal for Research (TAPOR) lab. This lab provides considerable computing, digitizing and analytical resources specifically designed for use in large text based projects. TAPOR also provides technical expertise, programming and design personnel who will construct the database and the interface.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The legacy of the project will be a virtual window on the conduct of Environmental Assessment in northern Canadian communities. All large projects that come under the terms of the scoping and/or comprehensive review processes would be targeted for inclusion in the database. The transcripts will be located, digitized, and coded according to a series of themes to be determined through a consultative process. Metadata on each transcript and intervention will also be collected. A database will created to organize the data and a user interface developed to permit wide access. This project is envisioned as open ended and cumulative. Agreements and funding will be sought to keep new data entering into the database as future hearings take place.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

This project does not require northern logistical support.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Healthy and Sustainable Communities: Exploitation of Resources

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
New

This is a new project that is in the initial development stage.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The PI will seek out partner organizations and individuals. A representative steering committee will be struck and a research priority plan established. A coding scheme will be developed collaboratively with stakeholder organizations.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Northern partner organizations will be sought out and the project will be developed in a collaborative framework. Specifically, the coding framework will be developed in collaboration with partner organizations so that data access and organization are maximized for partners. The web interface will include plain language instructions and a tutorial session to ease first time access. We will seek to make these available in several languages including Inuktitut and Dene dialects. Additional outreach will be conducted through relevant organizations and educational institutions.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The database will be web-searchable and freely available. The data will be housed on secure TAPOR Lab servers. As the data consists of public record statements there are no known copyright or proprietary issues. Nevertheless we will undertake consultations with appropriate organizations and seek northern partners to develop the database in a way that maximizes usability for northern peoples and organizations.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Initial funds have been secured from ArcticNet (5K) and the U of Alberta department of Anthropology (6K research assistance). A funding proposal has been submitted to ArcticNet (Theme 2) for 40K/2years. In-kind contributions have been secured from the TAPR Lab (estimate 50K). Additional funds will be sought from government and other parties.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof  Christopher Fletcher
Tory Building 13-5, University of Alberta, Edmonton,AB


T6G 2H4
Canada

Tel: 780-492-0133
Mobile: no
Fax: 780-492-5273
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation