Indigenous communities grapple with new relationship with oilsands industry

Several Indigenous communities north of Fort McMurrayareundergoing a monumental shift in their relationships with the oilsands industry.

Fort Chipewyan'sIndigenous leaders, who once partneredwith environmentalists and hosted Hollywood starslike Leonardo DiCaprio and Jane Fonda, have nowsigned deals with industry.

Last month,the Athabasca Chipewyanand Mikisew Cree First Nations joined 12 other Indigenous groups in signingparticipation agreements with Teck Resources, which is developing the $20.6 billion Frontier Mine.

CBC News travelled to Fort Chipewyan to speak to the Dene, Cree and Mtis communitiesabout themine.

Watch themini-documentary above to hear howcommunity members are grappling with the new direction the community is taking.

The Frontier Mine is under review by the Alberta Energy Regulator and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.

• Proposed oilsands mine poses 'high mortality risk' to bison and birds, Environment Canada says
• Eco-group tells hearing Frontier oilsands mega project would be a 'carbon disaster'
• Fort McMurray region's Indigenous groups support oilsands mine, company tells review panel
• Teck's $20B Frontier oilsands project heads to joint review hearing

Connect with David Thurton, CBC'sFort McMurraycorrespondent, onFacebook,Twitter,LinkedInor email him atdavid.thurton@cbc.ca