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If there is economic and financial gain related to the way in which natural resources situated on traditional Indigenous lands are exploited, or not exploited, Indigenous Peoples need to have a voice.

For example, forest stands absorb carbon dioxide and contribute to reductions in greenhouse gases and their protection is, therefore, important in the fight against climate change. Any organization, institution or company that sets aside forest lands for protection increases the availability of carbon credits to trade on the international carbon trading market, thus benefitting financially from conservation initiatives. Indigenous Peoples need to be involved in the valuable non-exploitation of natural resources in the same way that we need to be involved if those natural resources were being extracted.

We, of course, applaud any initiatives that result in a reduction of harmful emissions of pollutants into the environment. We applaud initiatives that contribute to the fight against climate change. And, we applaud initiatives that result in conservation measures related to the natural resources on our traditional lands.

However, to the extent that financial gain is made in the way in which natural resources within our traditional lands are dealt with, in any manner, our peoples need to be part of that discussion, part of those formulae and we need to be at those tables together with the provinces and the companies that stand to gain from cap-and-trade and other carbon reduction schemes.

Matthew Coon Come is Grand Chief, Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee (Quebec), and former national chief, Assembly of First Nations.