GEM Advisory Group of Northerners

Following a successful discussion session on Northern socio-economic development held in November 2008, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) officially commissioned the Advisory Group of Northerners (AGN) in Yellowknife on February 23, 2009 as part of the advisory structure for the Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM) program. The AGN is composed of 12 members, selected because of their vast experience and knowledge of matters affecting Canada’s North and northerners. Members were drawn from the three Northern territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut) and include representatives from territorial governments, Aboriginal socio-economic development organizations, industry, northern colleges and training institutions. The mandate of the AGN is to provide advice and strategic guidance to the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Earth Sciences Sector (ESS), NRCan on what is needed to help ensure that GEM and subsequent private sector economic development activities result in long lasting socio-economic benefits for northerners and northern communities. The AGN also includes three ex-officio members, one each from NRCan, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC), and Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC). Ex-officio members participate to understand the context for the AGN’s advice and to help ensure that the advice results in actions.

The central theme of the inaugural AGN meeting was focused on the direct impact of GEM program activities. Specifically, on what can be done to ensure that “Northerners, northern businesses, traditional knowledge and government programs are engaged in achieving GEM scientific and technical goals.” The main items of discussion at the meeting included (a) leading practices in Northern partnership, community awareness and youth outreach programs (b) student training and summer employment and (c) employment for Northerners and local benefits for Northern business and services. The respective targeted outcomes used to frame the discussion of this AGN meeting were that:

• communities become engaged, and that northerners are interested in public geoscience practice and results through GEM;
• young northerners gain new work experience, life skills and competencies through GEM-related training and student employment and
• GEM makes best use of available Northern skills and businesses through seasonal employment and services.

Additional Consultations with Communities

The program's engagement process creates opportunities for NRCan to develop links with communities, draw on local socio-political awareness, provide awareness on the GEM Program and present the potential long term benefits resulting from GEM activities.

The engagement process is often multifaceted including community visits, school and community presentations, community members' visits to field camps, procurement and local hiring.

For example, field assistants hired through local communities are integral parts of some major field component including the bedrock, surficial, and geophysics teams as well as assistant cooks, camp setup and maintenance roles, and interim camp managers.

In the summer of 2009, (for example) during the first full season of GEM fieldwork, one of the field camps was set up near the Hamlet of Pangnirtung, on Nunavut's Cumberland Peninsula, during which 22 northerners were hired for various jobs and training opportunities including fieldwork assistants, prospectors and cook's assistants.

Energy and Minerals Program (GEM) Community Engagement, Summer Field Season of 2009