AME: First Nations Chief calls for shared decision-making in British Columbia mining

[Ben Graham]

Delivering a keynote address at the AME Roundup conference in Vancouver this week, Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Nation said meaningful reconciliation in British Columbia’s mining sector must be grounded in shared decision-making, respect for Indigenous law, and early engagement with First Nations. 

Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc is part of the Stk̓emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation (SSN), a governance body formed in 2007 through a partnership between Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc (formerly the Kamloops Indian Band) and the Skeetchestn Indian Band. SSN territory is among the most heavily mineralized — and historically mined — regions in the province. 

Speaking against the backdrop of heightened industry attention on reconciliation following recent court rulings and the passage of British Columbia’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), Casimir emphasized that industry, government and First Nations must move beyond transactional relationships. 

The British Columbia Court of Appeal determined in a new ruling in December that DRIPA incorporates the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and creates legally enforceable obligations. 

Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Chief Rosanne Casimir delivers keynote address at Reconciliation breakfast. Credit: AME.

The case was a partial appeal by the Gitxaala and Ehattesaht First Nations, following a 2023 BC Supreme Court decision that ruled the province’s automatic online mineral claim system breached its constitutional duty to consult, but had limited interpretation of DRIPA. 

“It’s about resilience and how we get through it, and relying on our people, our community and our allies to achieve what is possible,” Casimir said. 

Mineral tenure pressure and consent 

SSN territory is heavily impacted by mineral tenures, and Casimir said this creates urgency, particularly as governments frame mining development within conversations about critical minerals and national security. 

Pointing to maps of proposed and existing projects, Casimir noted that many mineral claims are issued by the province without First Nations’ consent or recognition of Indigenous authority. 

“What the map makes clear is that a large portion of the SSN territory has already been staked, often without our consent and without recognition of our laws or authority to make decisions on our lands,” Casimir said.  

She also highlighted crown reserves — areas where mineral staking has been restricted or withdrawn — noting that these often overlap with lands SSN identifies as culturally or environmentally sensitive. 

Not anti-mining, but location matters 

Casimir stressed that SSN is not opposed to mining itself, but to development in locations with environmentally and culturally sensitive ecosystems. 

Within SSN territory, the Afton mine copper-gold mine, 100% owned and operated by New Gold, is currently the only major operating mine. In 2017, SSN issued a decision not to consent to the project following provincial, federal and SSN-led environmental assessment processes. 

The nation also has dormant sites, such as the Bonaparte mine, and major proposals like the Ajax copper-gold project, which has not been approved but remains part of the region’s land-use history. 

“While we worked against certain mines, we’re not against mining — it was always about the location,” Casimir said. 

Indigenous law, stewardship and UNDRIP 

Casimir said strong, rights-based decision-making — grounded in Secwépemc law and supported by UNDRIP — is essential to ensuring future development brings communities together rather than dividing them. 

SSN has applied its own environmental assessment processes across multiple major projects, centering decisions on stewardship and caretaking responsibilities. 

“Our responsibilities are to the land, the plants, the animals — everything that’s living and not living on those lands,” she said. 

Casimir emphasized that stewardship extends beyond SSN territory, including regional impacts from projects such as copper mines elsewhere in British Columbia. 

Call for early engagement 

Casimir urged mining companies with mineral claims staked to engage early and build genuine relationships with First Nations. 

“Engaging early helps proponents understand cultural significance, environmental sensitivities and community interests — but just as importantly, it establishes a relationship.”  

She extended an open invitation to companies holding claims in SSN territory to meet directly with the nation. 

“Build trust rather than transactions. Projects move forward with stronger foundations,” Casimir said.  

Casimir closed by reflecting on Secwépemc teachings about balance, drawing on ancestral practices tied to salmon stewardship. 

“Our ancestors understood that taking too much risked losing an entire resource. Those teachings remind us that economic development and environmental stewardship are not opposing forces — they are shared responsibilities.”