Subcommittees
The Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee (IAMC) forms and oversees subcommittees to work on specific issues or regional concerns. The subcommittees undertake work that requires more expertise or focus on a particular issue. These include Indigenous Monitoring, Marine Shipping, Socioeconomic and Engagement Subcommittee.
Indigenous Monitoring
The Indigenous Monitoring Subcommittee’s goal is to ensure Indigenous knowledge, values and perspectives are included in the monitoring, regulation, compliance verification and performance of the proposed TMX Project and existing pipeline. The Committee identified support for Indigenous monitoring and “getting boots on the ground” as an early and ongoing priority in its first year.
A groundbreaking Indigenous monitoring pilot program was developed by the Committee and the National Energy Board (NEB). This pilot established a framework for Committee monitoring and is informing a program to be implemented throughout the Trans Mountain Pipeline corridor.
Marine Shipping
The Marine Shipping Subcommittee focuses on the key concerns around marine shipping and related traffic, anchorage and operational spills. This Subcommittee engages with Indigenous communities and marine-based organizations to: explore and develop an Indigenous marine stewardship program; provide advice on Indigenous inclusion in spill response; and enhance Indigenous capacity in emergency prevention, preparedness and response.
A key priority for the Subcommittee is to identify opportunities that support Indigenous communities’ ability to protect their rights and interests relating to these potential impacts. It is important to learn from previous incidents, highlighting to regulators where key issues are not being addressed and working with them to seek solutions. This involves gathering information and improving relationships with marine-based organizations by attending several marine-related activities, training exercises, workshops and conferences.
Emergency Management
Since 2018 the IAMC-TMX has identified the importance of emergency management and response in Indigenous communities by bringing Indigenous leaders and technical experts together to implement two pilot projects and work towards common priorities as the group evolved into the Emergency Management Subcommittee (EMSC). EMSC priorities are to:
- Identify opportunities for greater Indigenous inclusion in Emergency Management
- Improve Indigenous communities’ emergency preparedness with an all hazards approach
- Inform the IAMC-TMX on issues related to Emergency Management
- Inform policy development.
Socioeconomic Subcommittee
The Socioeconomic Subcommittee (SESC) works with affected Indigenous communities, regulators, and partners to advocate for improved socioeconomic outcomes of major projects, with a particular focus on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project and existing line. This includes identifying, mitigating or enhancing, and effectively monitoring positive and negative social, economic, cultural, and health and wellbeing impacts.
A key priority of the SESC’s work has been responding to the five Calls for Justice for the Extractive Industries (13.1-13.5) from the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ (the National Inquiry). A primary concern of the SESC is the safety and security of Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse individuals with the influx of large numbers of non-local/non-regional workers and presence of work camps. The National Inquiry highlighted the relationship between the resource sector and major projects sighting increased incidences of gender- and race-based discrimination, harassment, and violence, higher prevalence of substances and substance use, and more pressure on limited social and health services and related infrastructure.
The SESC also prioritizes the realization of economic benefits to Indigenous communities, including monitoring Trans Mountain Corporation’s (TMC) compliance with conditions set by the Canada Energy Regulator for Indigenous employment and business opportunities (condition 107) and training (condition 12 and 58).
Operations
In March 2020, the Operations Subcommittee was formed with the intent of allowing the IAMC-TMX Committee to focus on high-level strategic discussions. The subcommittee supports and enables effective, efficient and strategic decision-making of the Committee, and ensures operational alignment with the approved strategic directions. It deals with operational items such as low-risk funding and budget decisions, agenda setting, engagement, work-planning and more.
The former Engagement and Grants and Contributions Subcommittee has been absorbed by the Operations Subcommittee.