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Lesson 4: Negotiation is a Skill, or “I Can Do This, Can’t I?”

In over 30 years of experience with Indigenous negotiations, I have been at the table with hundreds of negotiators. Many of them should never have been in the room. I know this sounds harsh, but being effective in Indigenous negotiations is very hard to do and is not for everyone.

Lyle Viereck recently launched a private consulting firm Lyle Viereck Consulting Services Inc. As the former Director of Aboriginal Relations and Negotiations for BC Hydro and a Chief Negotiator with the Province of BC, he has a depth of negotiating experience. He also has a unique perspective on reconciliation as part of First Nation negotiation that we were eager to learn more about. Lyle kindly took some time to share his invaluable insight.

Lyle Viereck was born and raised in Prince Rupert in northern BC. His family heritage includes Creek Indians from Oklahoma, American black slaves, Irish and German. As a result of this very diverse background Lyle grew up fighting for equality and against racism and was influenced by his family forming labour and credit unions.

By Jennifer Brown

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that individual members of an Aboriginal group can’t use blockades or other “self-help” remedies when claiming a government breached its duty to consult, and in fact doing so amounted to “an abuse of process.”

As Chief Diversity Officer, Jane is responsible for coordinating the efforts of firm leadership, human resources and service lines — and providing necessary support and tools — to successfully achieve Deloitte’s diversity vision.

Tanya Laing Gahr is the Business Development Officer for TerraLogic Exploration Inc., based in Cranbrook, B.C. In this role, she is responsible for community and aboriginal engagement, human resources management, and marketing and promotions. Tanya has written for several publications, and in 2012, was nominated and shortlisted for the Kenneth R. Wilson Award for “Big Lift”, a story featured in the October 2011 issue of Canadian Mining Journal. Tanya is currently completing her thesis based on the continuing cultural influences of the Ktunaxa Nation creation story for her Master’s of Arts in Professional Communications through Royal Roads University; she plans to pursue her doctorate in Aboriginal studies.

Click here to read Tanya's article "Creation Stories - The Origin of Culture"

by Tanya Laing-Gahr, February 18, 2013

Clayton Norris, MBA, CAFM, is the Vice President of MNP’s Aboriginal
Services. He leads the MNP Aboriginal Services team, which currently
provides services in accounting and business consulting to more than 150
Aboriginal communities across Canada. Based in Calgary, Clayton works
closely with First Nations and Métis communities in an advisory capacity,
assisting clients in the areas of business and strategic planning, human
resource issues, corporate finance, training and economic development
consulting. With his extensive experience working with Aboriginal business
and communities, Clayton understands the unique requirements of
Aboriginal people. He takes great pride in being a close professional advisor
to the individuals and organizations that manage and direct development
within the Aboriginal community.

Flavio Caron