It all started in the shelter of a tent back in 2013 when the Aboriginal Relations Committee of AME wanted to create a place for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants to gather and connect at Roundup. Since then, AME’s Gathering Place has grown in popularity and has become a multi-day showcase event bringing together Aboriginal, industry and government leaders with people who want to listen and share their ideas.
Now against the backdrop of a traditional Coast Salish longhouse, AME’s Gathering Place at Roundup 2017 builds on its legacy of sharing experiences, learning from one another, fostering openness and building respectful relationships.
AME’s Gathering Place is a Show Case Session offering a wide range of opportunities for participants to hear diverse perspectives that are shared respectfully and expand the understanding of our common interests and aspirations. Ideas are discussed and innovative approaches are celebrated.
Whether you are interested in listening to the perspectives of Aboriginal leaders and industry executives, learning about the current trends in investment and legal decisions, sharing your own ideas, or exploring the short course offerings on the history, science and perspectives of both First Nations and exploration companies, you will leave with a broader perspective and some new connections.
AME’s Gathering Place 2017 features a wide range of moderated panel discussions and a pre-Roundup short course. All the panel sessions are designed to ensure that attendees have opportunities to ask questions and share experiences. Panel highlights will include:
- The Leadership Panel: Federal, provincial and Aboriginal leaders will come together in a panel discussion to share perspectives and listen to ideas from attendees.
- Chiefs’ Presentation: Aboriginal leaders will share their thoughts on the priorities, needs and aspirations of their communities in relation to mineral exploration within their territories.
- Industry Executive Panel: Industry leaders will share their experiences and discuss the importance of proactive engagement with Aboriginal communities in the success of exploration in B.C.
- Legal Panel: Helping us better understand the evolving legal climate, this panel of Aboriginal law experts will offer insights and answer the many questions that we all have.
- Success Stories: Two afternoon sessions are dedicated to the perspectives of both First Nations and industry on how they are working together to respect and honour their respective goals. The lessons learned and the best practices that will be shared will benefit all in attendance, and will support the advancement of collaborative mineral exploration in B.C.
- Investment Panel: The investment panel participants will link how and why successful engagement and collaboration between mineral development companies and effective Aboriginal engagement aids in “derisking” projects for investors and communities.
AME’s Gathering Place exemplifies AME’s long-held value of supporting productive relationships and meaningful engagement with Aboriginal communities and the mineral exploration sector.
AME’s Gathering Place at Roundup 2017 will run from Tuesday, January 24, to Wednesday, January 25, in Room 11/12 of the Vancouver Convention Centre East. Come for a coffee and stay for a session – you’re always welcome at AME’s Gathering Place. Visit amebc.ca/roundup for more information on session times, locations and registration.
Aboriginal Relations and Integrated Social Responsibility Short Courses
AME will host two short courses on Sunday, January 22. The morning will focus on Aboriginal perspectives and mineral exploration, while the afternoon will highlight the changing landscape of integrated social responsibility, key indicators and due diligence. These sessions are aimed at exploration executives, CSR practitioners, First Nations, regulators and students. They can be taken in individual sections or as one full-day course.
Session 1 – Uncovering Economic Opportunities – Mineral Exploration & Aboriginal Peoples
- Gain an understanding of the history, science and perspectives of both Aboriginal Peoples and exploration companies.
- Develop a fuller understanding of economic opportunities available to community groups.
- Discover earth science as it relates to opportunities and resource management.
Session 2 – Social Sustainability: Measuring Success and Ensuring the “Social Chain of Custody”
- Develop a better understanding of key indicators of social responsibility.
- Develop a better understanding of where the practice of social responsibility started, its current function and its projected importance in 10 years.
- Engage in an in-depth, interactive discussion of two case studies focusing on international trends in social sustainability and applications within B.C.
