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Au Canada, l'acceptabilité sociale des activités minières est devenue un élément central, aux yeux du public et des marchés financiers internationaux, afin d'évaluer la légitimité d'un projet. Ce changement au sein du secteur minier reflète la reconnaissance sur le plan international du droit des autochtones au consentement préalable, libre et éclairé (CPLE). Le consentement des autochtones s’impose de plus en plus comme un élément essentiel à la planification et à l'acceptation des projets d'extraction, forçant ainsi l'industrie minière à négocier des ententes avec les communautés autochtones. Ces ententes sur les répercussions et avantages (ERA) sont devenues un important mécanisme au Canada afin de minimiser l’incertitude juridique et politique entourant les projets miniers. Le présent travail cherche à savoir si, et le cas échéant dans quelles circonstances, ces ententes permettent l’expression d’un consentement autochtone qui soit préalable, libre et éclairé. Pour ce faire, nous nous penchons sur une ERA qui semble à première vue répondre aux attentes de la communauté autochtone concernée, soit l’entente Mecheshoo entre Diamants Stornoway (Canada) Inc., la Nation crie de Mistissini et le Grand Conseil des Cris. L’analyse du processus ayant mené à cette entente nous permet de conclure que les ERA peuvent effectivement répondre aux préoccupations autochtones et permettre l’expression du consentement, mais seulement dans des circonstances bien précises. En effet, le succès de l’entente Mecheshoo repose en majeure partie sur deux éléments : d’une part, le choix de l’entreprise minière d’adopter dès le départ une approche axée sur la conciliation et le dialogue avec les populations locales afin d’éviter les conflits; et ensuite la capacité institutionnelle et les ressources dont bénéficient les Cris de la Baie James. Comme l’affirme O’Faircheallaigh (2016), la clé du succès repose en grande partie sur la capacité institutionnelle et la cohésion politique des communautés autochtones, leur permettant non seulement d’établir un rapport de force avec les entreprises minières, mais aussi d’exprimer, le cas échéant, un consentement qui soit véritablement préalable, libre et éclairé., In Canada, the social acceptability of mining activities has become a fundamental element, in the eyes of the public and international financial markets, in order to assess the legitimacy of a project. This change in the mining sector reflects the international recognition of the Indigenous right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). Indigenous consent is becoming an essential element in the planning and acceptance of extractive projects, forcing the mining industry to negotiate agreements with Indigenous communities. Impact Benefit Agreements (IBAs) have become an important mechanism in Canada to minimize the legal and political uncertainty surrounding mining projects. This paper examines whether or not these agreements allow the expression of Indigenous consent that is free, prior and informed, and if so, under what circumstances. To do this, we will be looking into an agreement that seems to meet, at first glance, the expectations of the concerned Indigenous community, namely the Mecheshoo agreement between Diamonds Stornoway (Canada) Inc., the Cree Nation of Mistissini and the Grand Council of the Crees. An analysis of the process that led to this agreement allows us to conclude that IBAs can effectively address Indigenous concerns and allow the expression of consent, but only in very specific circumstances. In fact, the success of the Mecheshoo agreement rests largely on two elements: firstly, the choice of the mining company to adopt an approach based on conciliation and dialogue with the local populations in order to avoid conflicts; and secondly, the institutional capacity of the James Bay Cree. As O'Faircheallaigh (2016) argues, the key to success in IBA negotiations depends largely on the institutional capacity and political cohesion of Indigenous communities, allowing them not only to establish a balance of power with mining companies, but also to express, where appropriate, a consent that is truly prior, free and informed.

Mineral extraction in northern Canada has historically given little regard to the negative impacts experienced by local Aboriginal communities. In recent years, however, the emergence of Impact and Benefit Agreements (IBAs) negotiated between mining firms and would-be impacted Aboriginal communities has been cautiously celebrated as enabling improved impact mitigation and increased local capture of benefits. While improved outcomes have been substantiated by preliminary assessments of IBA effectiveness, some IBA-supported mining projects have recently met with community protests that reflect adversarial proponent-community relationships of old. It is argued, herein, that the limited success of some agreements has been caused by their failure to identify and thoughtfully address Aboriginal signatory's implicit expectations and interests regarding long-term community development. Accordingly, this thesis conceptualizes, based on extensive empirical evidence from contemporary northern Ontario, an ideal IBA, sensitive to the particular socio-economic conditions, cultural interests and community development expectations of Aboriginal signatories in northern Ontario. This research suggests that IBAs can serve as instruments of community development and mutual benefit between project developers and their Aboriginal partners, which constitutes a significant improvement from mining's exploitive history in the north.

The emergence of Impact and Benefit Agreements (IBAs) in the Canadian minerals sector has been read by many as a positive innovation in environmental governance. Negotiated directly between mineral resource developers and Aboriginal communities with limited state interference, IBAs serve to manage impacts associated with the mine project and deliver tangible benefits to local communities. Notwithstanding their increasing use and potential significance, limited systematic analysis has been undertaken to determine whether they are meeting their intended aims. This thesis reports on one such analysis from the Northwest Territories, Canada. While some deficiencies were apparent and perceptions of effectiveness varied somewhat by community, the IBAs were generally found to be meeting their objectives. Most significantly, there is considerable evidence that they are delivering positive outcomes for Aboriginal communities affected by mineral resource development in the Canadian North, which represents a significant change to typical outcomes of the past.