Will the HRIA be balanced and fair? Part 4: Human Rights Impact Assessment of Baffinland's Mary River Project

Will the HRIA be balanced and fair? Part 4: Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) of Baffinland's Mary River Project, May 17, 2012 (Download complete PDF at left)
The HRIA seeks to provide independent, balanced, credible and constructive information for all stakeholders. All persons that will contribute to the implementation of the HRIA agree to respect the following ethical and professional principles while implementing the HRIA:
1) Principle of Transparency
We will provide stakeholders with relevant, adequate and reliable information about the objectives, methodology and activities of the HRIA on an on-going basis through a dedicated webpage and local radio programming. The HRIA’s findings and conclusions will be made available in a printed report and in digital video format. Special efforts will be undertaken to ensure that the HRIA is appropriately translated, communicated to and understood by the Inuit communities in the area of influence of the Mary River project.
2) Principle of Independence and Balance
In the conduct of the HRIA and our research and analysis, we will be independent of government, political, business or other interests. The HRIA team will be solely responsible for the methodology, findings and conclusions of the assessment.
We will seek to engage with the full range of stakeholders of the Mary River project in order to elicit diverse opinions, concerns and expectations for the assessment—including from both proponents and opponents of the project. We recognize the right to fair, equal and respectful treatment of all stakeholders regardless of their positions and/or decision to participate in the HRIA.
We will maintain a balanced approach to potential positive and negative impacts in our information gathering, interviews, analysis, recommendations and reporting.
3) Principle of Inclusion and Non-discrimination
In addition to actively seeking the participation of the full range of stakeholders, we will ensure that the process is open to any individuals or groups that self-identify as stakeholders and wish to communicate their concerns and expectations.

We seek to encourage diversity, and will be impartial and non-discriminatory in our assessment. In particular, we will promote gender equality and balance and will respect Inuit culture and custom, including their oral traditions, throughout the HRIA process.
4) Principle of Informed Consent and Confidentiality
We will provide full and accurate information about the HRIA process, in advance, to all individuals, groups, organizations and/or institutions to be interviewed so that they are able to make an informed decision concerning their participation, or not, in the assessment. We respect the right of individual or groups approached by us to decide voluntarily to participate or not in the assessment without fear of negative consequences or repercussions.
We will obtain the informed consent of all participants who agree to have their interviews filmed. Participants will also be provided with the option of being interviewed without being filmed. We will fully respect any requests for anonymity and confidentiality in the treatment of information and opinions shared by all participants.
5) Principle of Professionalism and Accuracy
We will conduct our professional activities with integrity, honesty, and will make every effort for our assessment to be free from misrepresentation or deliberate bias. We will adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and honesty in presenting, interpreting and referencing data and research.
6) Principle of Respect for Universal Principles
We will promote the international and national laws and principles with respect to human rights as the normative foundation of the HRIA. Where such laws do not exist or are not fully implemented, we will highlight these gaps. In the conduct of the HRIA, we will respect the equal rights and dignity of all human beings.