He co-founded a non-profit that advocates for First Nations ownership interests in pipelines, critical minerals mines, clean energy and infrastructure projects
Niilo Edwards was a quiet force in the movement to improve economic opportunities for Canada ’s Indigenous people, but he wasn’t shy about celebrating victories. For Mr. Edwards, that often meant blasting Bruce Springsteen’sIt became a ritual for the co-founder of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition and his close friend and colleague Mark Podlasly.
He won the trust of Indigenous leaders by taking the time necessary to listen to their stories and hopes for lifting their people from often distressing social conditions, say those close to him. Mr. Edwards was instrumental in securing from Ottawa a $5-billion loan guarantee for Indigenous investments, seen as a catalyst for transforming how industrial projects across First Nation territories are funded and controlled in Canada.
“There are a lot of parallels between life on reserve and where he grew up. There were few economic activities, few opportunities for education or thinking you could step outside your community,” said Rachael Durie, Mr. Edwards’s wife of 16 years. “Again, they were seeing all these missing pieces. Between Gerry and Harold, Niilo was able to learn and see the gaps. They had lots of great conversations and went out and did the work,” Ms. Durie says.
At its core, it involves moving from a lopsided system of land access agreements with energy and mining companies to build on traditional territory, to negotiating for ownership interests and a say in how projects are run. That not only can provide short-term economic benefits, but revenues that can be reinvested in other opportunities.
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