The Red Green Show

As is long overdue, we seem to be seeing a falling out between Canadian First Nations and the ecology corps.

The general public has long imagined that First Nations opposition to development near their lands had to do with a concern for the environment. Silly rabbits. It has nothing to do with the environment. It has to do with wanting a payout. Claiming concern for the environment is only a means to this end.

Accordingly, the First Nations and the environmentalists are ultimately working at cross purposes. If a project is actually cancelled, as the ecological advocates generally prefer, it is a disaster for the Indians. They get nothing: no payout, and no jobs.

But they are really acting at cross purposes well before that. The more money the developer needs to spend to meet environmental regulations, the less it has to hand over to the nearby band leadership, while still keeping the project viable and big enough to provide the maximum jobs.

And so we begin to hear the grumbling. Projects are being cancelled!