Canada has long been conceived of as a staple-producing nation. Recently, the quest for energy and natural resources has accelerated as sources and supply have dwindled while global demand has intensified. In this context, new technologies are opening up new possibilities for the development of unconventional onshore oil and gas exploration. The proliferation of fracking across Canada offers a unique opportunity to analyze the efficacy of Indigenous agency in the face of state development agendas. Looking specifically at the experience of the Elsipogtog First Nation that successfully blocked SWN Resources Canada access to its equipment in 2013 and the provincial government’s change in public policy in 2014, this paper considers the types of challenges to resource exploration occurring in Indigenous communities in Canada and the extent to which these changes reflect dominant trends in global politics and domestic governance.
