KVC/Rio Tinto Alcan Inc 2010 Negotiations

KVC/Rio Tinto Proposal and Continued Negotiations 2010

On the Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., web page is the bold statement, 'The global leader in the aluminum industry'. Underneath this heading is the statement, 'Rio Tinto Alcan is one of the five groups operated by Rio Tinto, a leading international mining group.'
Mineral extraction groups have a historically-based reputation for discounting, and brushing aside, the concerns and interests of Indigenous People. Although in the case of Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., this reputation may well be a non-event, either way, we The Haisla have yet to experience the truth of this matter. Time and our own diligence will provide us with the answer to this question.
In the early 1950's, The Kitamaat Village Council (KVC), which continues to represent the interests of The Haisla People, of Kitamaat Village, BC., entered into a contractual agreement with Alcan Aluminum Company of Canada Ltd. (Alcan). This agreement would thereafter be referred to by the Haisla as 'The Alcan Agreement'. According to the agreement, Alcan would occupy, and obstruct, a large portion of Haisla Traditional Territory. In return for this imposition, the Haisla received a miniscule financial lump sum, along with largely empty promises.
The Haisla leadership of the day suffered a serious lack of expertise in matters of international corporate economics and ethics. Nor did they have any effective means with which to seek proper counsel in such matters. This left The Haisla at a highly disadvantaged level of awareness as to the true value of the agreement that they were signing into at that time. In their efforts to build into the Alcan Agreement, the best terms for their membership, The Haisla Leadership were at the mercy of the executives of Alcan to provide a contract that was valid in terms of fairness. At this challenge, Alcan failed miserably. The contract that they were in the process of making would be a long-term, lawful and binding agreement. In arranging the terms of that agreement, Alcan took full advantage of the weakness of the Haisla People. As had been the case in instances of interactions between Indigenous Peoples , Industry and government, up to that point in the history of Canada, The Haisla were to find themselves economically trodden by the Corporate Leadership of Alcan Aluminum.
At that point in time, Alcan began to make huge profits from its occupation, and use, of our territorial lands and Resources. Over the course of its occupation of Haisla Traditional Territorial Lands, these profits have amounted to the billions of dollars. At present,the profits from the Alcan Kitimat Operation continue to roll in. However,this agreement has left the Haisla Community to languish in a perpetual state of financial destitution, and total dependence upon Federal Government hand-outs.
From our experience in this position, we know that this is not a productive position to be in. This is a situation that basically places the Haisla at the mercy of the generosity, or the reluctance, of the Federal Government of Canada. The same government that took part in the conceptualization, and execution, of the legally documented, and binding, Alcan Agreement. The same Agreement that excluded the best interests of The Haisla People.
Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., has since assumed successive ownership of Alcan Aluminum Company of Canada's, Kitimat Operations', resources and obligations. Rio Tinto continues to make considerable profits from its use of Haisla Lands and Resources. Based on the fact that aluminum is a highly valuable commodity in the world of the present day, and future industrial market place, Rio Tinto's profits from its aluminum sales will continue well into the future. Although the market itself may fluctuate, Rio Tinto's place in the aluminum sales market is secure.

At this point in our history, we are attempting to reach an on-going and mutually acceptable agreement with Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. We must seek a fair return for our investment of allowing Rio Tinto to continue to operate upon our lands. In order for us to allow any such agreement to occur, the terms of that agreement must be based upon a percentage of Rio Tinto profits connected to its operations upon our lands. These profits must include its sales of Hydro Electric Power generated by its Kemano facility. The percentage is simply what we must require from Rio Tinto, in order for us to allow them to continue to make their share of the total profits that are presently being generated from their operations upon our lands.

Greg Robinson, February 8, 2010