Community-Powered Local Energy Planning and Transitioning in Off-Grid Northwestern Ontario First Nation Communities
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Lakehead University Knowledge Commons,http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca Electronic Theses and Dissertations Electronic Theses and Dissertations from 2009 2019 Community-powered local energy planning and transitioning in off-grid northwestern Ontario First Nation communities Rakshit, Roopa http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca/handle/2453/4526 Downloaded from Lakehead University, KnowledgeCommons COMMUNITY-POWERED LOCAL ENERGY PLANNING AND TRANSITIONING IN OFF-GRID NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO FIRST NATION COMMUNITIES Roopa Rakshit PhD Candidate A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Natural Resources Management Lakehead University Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada May 2019 © Roopa Rakshit i ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES I recognize that Lakehead University, my school, is on the traditional land of the Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850. I acknowledge the relationship that the original custodians, Canada’s Indigenous Peoples,1 have with the surrounding lands referred to as northwestern Ontario. As a new Asian settler in Canada, I believe that recognizing the land on which we exist as settlers is an important part of the progression of acknowledgments, recognition, and appreciation leading to reconciliation. The ongoing process of building reciprocal relations is based on respect. A new settler has a “mother country” with thriving cultures to go back to at any point of time. But for the Indigenous peoples it is all here. This is their home. And, thus, there is a need to learn about the history of Indigenous People across Turtle Island. Taking part through deliberate actions throughout the research period, I educated myself about Canada’s colonial history and became an active and compassionate ally to Indigenous Peoples. 1 There are several terms in usage to describe Indigenous Peoples in Canada. “First Nations” are those Status Indians governed under the Indian Act and members of Bands with federally-owned reserve lands set aside for them. “Aboriginal” is the term used in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 inclusive of “Indians, Inuit and Métis”. “Indigenous” is commonly used in the international arena as in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, but the term is becoming more popular and is often preferred by Indigenous Peoples and acknowledged now by the federal government in its renaming of the ministry responsible for Aboriginal affairs to, initially, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and more recently to two ministries: Crown- Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). ii LIBRARY RIGHTS STATEMENT In presenting this dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, I agree that the University shall make it freely available for inspection. The dissertation is made available by my authority solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part (except as permitted by the Copyright Laws) without my authority. Signature: ______________________________ Date: _______May 9, 2019_________________ iii ELDER ERNIE KWANDIBENS’ MESSAGE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION: CORE TO INDIGENOUS VALUES Indigenous Peoples respect and cherish a special relationship with the Mother Earth and all that it offers. It is a profound spiritual connection that guides them to practice reverence, humility, and reciprocity. It is also based on subsistence needs and values extending back to thousands of years. Believing and understanding in taking only what is needed, great care is taken on how much and how they are taken. We must not step outside of the circle of life and should practice taking only what is needed. The significance of sustainable living is long appreciated by the Indigenous Peoples. Protecting the environment aligns well with energy conservation. Addressing energy and environmental conservation – both out of the same value of respect resonates with core Indigenous values and principles. Efficient energy savings and caring for the environment ties right back to one of the seven teachings of the grandfathers – Respect. Reducing energy consumption is consistent with these cultural and environmental values. Ernie is a member of Whitesand First Nation. He works with his wife Charlotte on traditional ceremonies such as sweat lodge ceremonies, pipe ceremonies, sunrise ceremonies, naming ceremonies, young men’s teachings, etc. Ernie is also an Elder for Dilico Anishinabek Family Care in Thunder Bay and conducts sweat lodge ceremonies for community members. iv ABSTRACT Rakshit, R. 2019. Ph.D Dissertation. Faculty of Natural Resources Management. Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, 220 pp. Keywords: Canada, community-based participatory action research, community energy planning, energy transition, First Nations, reconciliation Accessing reliable and affordable electricity is a challenge for Canada’s remote First Nations in northwestern Ontario. These off-grid communities rely on expensive and environmentally harmful diesel-powered electricity, resulting in high electricity costs and limited socio-economic growth. Thus, the communities are transitioning to address these limitations through local energy planning to better meet local challenges and community development goals. This research study provides an insight into the challenges of local energy planning for off-grid First Nations and explores several key questions through its transition: (i) the contextual complexities in Canada’s energy system that affect a bottom-up, community-based energy project; (ii) the socio-cultural and capacity building gaps when developing local energy solutions; and (iii) community energy planning as a pathway to reconciliation. A Community-based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) model was adopted within the overarching framework of an Indigenous Research Paradigm (IRP). Research was initiated using intrinsic case studies with Poplar Hill First Nation as the representative location and the Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project as the transition context. The results indicated the gaps in capacity and the benefits of sustainable energy projects developed through meaningful consultations. Knowledge mobilization was facilitated through the development of capacity-building tools, community workshops, and open houses to advance community energy literacy, the identification of local champions, raising awareness and stimulating discussions at community energy conferences, and expanding academic scholarships. Research findings suggest that the path to reconciliation requires “Indigenizing energy planning” through culturally appropriate, decolonizing approaches that foster mutual respect and shared values. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A community-based academic journey is seldom lonely. This dissertation is the result of a collaborative and participatory effort with many very special communities, people, and organizations. I am grateful to the First Nation community leadership and community members for their insights reflected throughout my dissertation. The research study would not have been possible without the guiding advices and invaluable support of my supervisor, Dr. Chander Shahi. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to him for providing the opportunity and believing in me, in the first place. I am for ever indebted to my co-supervisor, Dr. M.A. (Peggy) Smith for her unconditional and continued guidance, her calm presence, and support, and for her immense faith and confidence in me. My co-supervisor, Dr. Adam Cornwell, a big thank you for very patiently reading all my manuscript drafts and providing insightful and thoughtful comments. I much appreciate your support. Throughout our years of working together, the academic committee remained an unfailingly true guide, never hesitating to set me straight when I needed it, always deepening my understanding of where I needed to turn next. At the same time, they never discouraged me and always kept up my motivation. I could not have asked for a better guiding team. I know that your influence helped to make my life as a doctoral student one full of richness and security. For that, I feel forever grateful. Most sincerely! My research was supported by a scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). I was also supported by the Office of Graduate Studies, Lakehead University. My earnest acknowledgement and thanks to Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) Tribal Council; Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (KORI); Margaret Kenequanash CEO of Wataynikaneyap Power LP; and the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation (OFNTSC) for providing the access, contexts, the connections and the networks. My dissertation, research, and work are a direct result of my learning and sharing with the First Nations across northwestern Ontario. However, the traditional territories of Poplar Hill First Nation, a KO community, were the primary focus of my PhDs dissertation. My warmest thanks to the community. My acknowledgment is incomplete without mentioning Franz Seibel, the ex-Research Director of KORI for his guidance and directions that opened doors for my community-based study, allowing me to travel to various KO communities. The reception shown to me could have been vastly different if I had travelled without vi his introductions. My visits