First Nations gather to meet with Carney over major projects law
The meeting came together quickly and chaotically, with many First Nations leaders noting the rushed process behind the bill. Indigenous leaders were not consulted on the new legislation, which they say runs roughshod over First Nations' rights and jurisdiction. The law grants cabinet the authority to override many environmental laws and regulations to get projects built if they are deemed to be in the national interest.
At the meeting, Carney is scheduled to make a speech in the morning just before 9 a.m., followed by remarks from Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse. There will be four working sessions throughout the day, pencilled in for 1.5 hours each, on topics like economic participation and the Indigenous advisory council created by the legislation.
An official from the national chief's office said media are not allowed to sit in on the summit. The AFN said it had pushed for media to have full access for the entire event. Media is only allowed to attend Carney's remarks.
The meetings will occur just days after nine First Nations in Ontario launched a legal challenge on the constitutionality of Bill C-5 and are seeking an injunction to block the bill until the court rules on the legal challenge.
Regional Chief of the British Columbia AFN Terry Teegee said at a Wednesday press conference that for the meetings to be a success, there must be a 'solid commitment' from Carney that free, prior and informed consent will be required as part of any development.
'He has to also listen to First Nations leadership — more listening, rather than talking about how they want to proceed forward,' Woodhouse said at the press conference.
'The problem here … is that there are, potentially, going to be projects that are going to be very controversial, and it's those projects that I think the vast majority of chiefs are worried about,' said BC Regional Chief Terry Teegee
She emphasized that some communities are 'ready to go,' while others do not support it. Others are still so busy dealing with issues on the ground that they do not yet know where they land on this polarizing issue, she said. The government needs to listen to leaders and ensure communities receive funding support to get their lawyers and technicians involved in major projects, she added. The government has committed to providing $40 million for capacity-building around consultations for the projects it proposes. There are 634 recognized First Nations bands in Canada.
In some cases, First Nations favourable to Bill C-5 may already have projects in their communities they want advanced, and those are probably already going through the approval process anyway, Teegee said.
'The problem here … is that there are, potentially, going to be projects that are going to be very controversial, and it's those projects that I think the vast majority of chiefs are worried about,' he said.
Teegee noted that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is 'really pushing' for a pipeline to BC's north coast but said, 'We've been down that road, and it's a very difficult situation' to get approval for a project like that that requires approval from many First Nations.
Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chief Na'Moks and the Coastal GasLink pipeline are emblematic of this issue. The 670-kilometre-long natural gas pipeline is now operational, but years of opposition and blockades plagued the project. Although the company reached agreements with First Nation band councils (including Wet'suwet'en elected chiefs) along the route, hereditary Wet'suwet'en chiefs, including Na'Moks, opposed the project at every turn.
At a press conference Wednesday, Na'Moks told reporters he didn't receive an invitation to the summit until last night when he was already in transit to Ottawa, after deciding he would travel there with or without a formal invitation.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Carney said this summit with First Nations leaders is about 'how this can work, how we work together, [and] what are the priorities.'
This isn't a discussion about specific projects, he added, and when specific projects are on the table, there will be consultations and consultations on the conditions that must be fulfilled for the projects to proceed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Observer
an hour ago
- National Observer
Coastal First Nations call on Carney to uphold oil tanker ban
Indigenous leaders on British Columbia's north coast are calling on the federal government to hold out against pressure from Alberta and industry to reverse the west coast oil export ban. On Tuesday, the Coastal First Nations, a group of nine First Nations along the north and central coast of BC and Haida Gwaii, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney. The group urged the government to uphold Bill C-48, known as the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act. Since 2019, this law has prohibited tankers carrying over 12,500 metric tons of crude oil and other oil products from stopping or transferring cargo at any port between the northern tip of Vancouver Island and the Alaska border, which includes Haida Gwaii, the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. The act formalizes protections that Indigenous communities and environmentalists have been seeking since the 1970s. It effectively bans crude oil supertankers from one of the world's most pristine cold-water marine ecosystems, home to whale habitats, wild salmon, seabirds and ancient rainforests. Exports through the Juan de Fuca Strait are allowed, meaning the ban has not interfered with the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The controversy comes as Carney said in a recent statement that a new bitumen pipeline to BC's north coast is 'highly, highly likely.' His remark aligns with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and federal Conservative MPs push to lift the tanker ban. Smith has specifically called for faster federal approvals for pipeline projects and an exemption at the Port of Prince Rupert to allow oil exports to Asia. But Marilyn Slett, president of the Coastal First Nations and chief councillor of the Heiltsuk Tribal Council, said oil tankers are a 'non-starter' for her community. 'An oil tanker project is not something we can ever provide consent to,' she said. 'Our communities rely on healthy oceans and ecosystems for our livelihood and culture. Reversing or weakening this legislation would put everything our communities depend on at risk.' Marilyn Slett, president of the Coastal First Nations and chief councillor of the Heiltsuk Tribal Council, said oil tankers are a 'non-starter' for her community. The tanker ban was instituted after more than a decade marked by energetic opposition to pipelines to the West Coast. The Northern Gateway pipeline, first proposed by Enbridge in 2002, was ultimately halted in 2016 after more than 130 First Nations publicly opposed the project and courts ruled that consultations had been inadequate. Slett called the decision a major win for Indigenous rights and protection of coastal areas, and said any new talks should not repeat old mistakes. Marilyn Slett, president of Coastal First Nations and Heiltsuk chief councillor, signs an open letter urging Prime Minister Carney to uphold the north coast oil tanker ban. Indigenous leaders have come out against crude oil tankers but have been more accepting of other types of ships, especially those carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG). By 2030, as many as 600 LNG vessels are expected to pass through their waters — activities accommodated through lengthy engagement and approval processes with communities, said Danielle Shaw, chief councillor of the Wuikinuxv Nation and a board member of the Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance. 'We're open to discussing projects that will be sustainable and responsible and can strengthen the economy of Canada and British Columbia,' Shaw said. 'But there's strong opposition to oil tankers on this coast because of the impacts it would have for our communities directly.' Slett noted that with 175 LNG tankers already passing through coastal channels this year and more expected, the impact on the ecosystem is significant. 'This is substantial, and those have cumulative effects on the ecosystem. They are in place and serving as projects for British Columbia and other communities. This [oil tankers] is something we cannot add … it's not something we would support.' The risks from oil spills are considered too great. 'When it comes to allowing oil tankers on our coast, it wouldn't be if something were to happen, it would be when something happens,' Shaw said. Slett criticized the lack of formal consultation regarding renewed pipeline proposals. Bill C-5 was rushed through Parliament in just two weeks, and a meeting between Carney and First Nations leaders from across Canada last week was allotted just a few hours. 'There's been a lot of talk about us without talking to us,' she said. She said she learned about energy proposals through the news rather than direct government engagement. The open letter invites Carney to visit the north coast to see why the tanker moratorium remains vital and to consider how a path forward without an oil pipeline can benefit the region. Slett said her communities prefer discussion and collaboration but remain firm in their opposition. 'Court challenges and direct action would always be a last resort,' she said. 'We've built relationships with provincial and federal partners that we want to maintain, but we won't support new pipelines. The tanker ban must stand.'
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Inclusive rite of passage + India's court backlog
The National is invited to an Indigenous-led camp in Alberta, working to inspire a renewal of rite of passage ceremonies by making them more inclusive. Plus, what's behind India's massive court backlog.
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Auto industry says environment minister won't relent despite calls to scrap EV mandate
OTTAWA — Automakers calling on Ottawa to roll back its electric-vehicle mandate say their case has so far failed to sway Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin, who appears 'committed' to keeping it in place. Rising pressure over the EV issue is part of the central tension facing Prime Minister Mark Carney, which is how much to adjust the Liberals' climate policies to address concerns coming from industry and premiers, amid a time of economic uncertainty. Longstanding demands from the auto industry and its associations to scrap the electric vehicle mandate have grown louder in recent weeks, as they point to falling EV sales and struggles in the trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has taken direct aim at Canada's auto sector. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Several provincial leaders at the meeting of premiers in Huntsville, Ont., have called on Carney's government to back off the mandate, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who said it should be scrapped because companies will not be able to meet the targets. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has also called for its removal as part of a suite of changes she wants to see to the Liberals' federal climate policies. Under the mandate, which the Liberals formalized in 2023 , all new vehicle sales in Canada must be zero-emission by 2035, starting with a target of reaching 20 per cent by 2026 and then increasing to 60 per cent by 2030. It was introduced as a way to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which, next to the oil and gas sector, is a major contributor to Canadian carbon emissions. Since its introduction, the mandate has been challenged by a dramatic drop in sales from 2024 , which proponents attribute to Ottawa's decision earlier in the year to halt its purchase incentive, which it has committed to reintroduce, but with no firm timeline. Dabrusin, whom Carney appointed to the role back in May, has been meeting with the industry to discuss the matter, given that it falls within her portfolio. It followed a sit-down the prime minister had with the CEOs of automakers Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, where they discussed the ongoing trade war with the U.S. Brian Kingston, CEO and president of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, which represents the three major automakers, attended the meeting with Carney earlier in the month. The association also recently met with Dabrusin. He says while the government recognizes there is a challenge with EV sales and meeting the current targets, what remains unclear is what it intends to do next. 'Minister Dabrusin and Environment Canada seem to be committed to having an (electric vehicle) mandate in place, and we continue to make the case to them that there are no changes that you could make to this mandate that will solve the current situation that we're in,' he told National Post, on a call while he attended the premiers meeting in Ontario's cottage country. Any changes the government might consider would take time to implement, he said, adding that there was 'deep frustration' within the industry as it must decide how to meet the upcoming targets, with one option being to restrict sales of internal combustion engine vehicles. 'This is urgent,' Kingston said. 'This isn't a tomorrow problem.' Under the policy, companies could earn credits either by selling zero-emission vehicles, which include plug-in hybrids or ones powered by hydrogen, purchasing credits from another electric vehicle maker, or spending money on building out charging infrastructure. Should they fail to meet the targets, they could face penalties under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. 'The environment minister does not want to scrap the mandate— that was made very clear to us, and that is extremely problematic for the industry. That option cannot be off the table. It is the most effective and fastest way to address this current problem,' Kingston said. In a statement, a spokesperson for Dabrusin said the policy was implemented to give Canadians access 'to affordable zero-emission vehicles to fight climate change with Canadian innovation.' 'The standard is currently in place, and we are continuing to meaningfully engage with industry and explore flexibility to make sure that our measures reflect (the) times we are in,' spokesperson Jenna Ghassabeh wrote. Flavio Vlope, president of the Association of Automotive Component Manufac turers, who was also at the premiers' gathering, said he had spoken to around half a dozen ministers regarding the mandate and that the government was consulting 'heavily' with industry. With the environment minister not appearing to entertain the question of scrapping the targets, he said the 'pressure is on' Dabrusin's department to make them 'mean something.' 'Because right now, all they mean is a setup for failure,' he said. 'There are lots of ways to help the industry here move along the immutable march to electrification, but as currently configured, all it does is punish them, and nobody needs religion right now.' He added that any change to the mandate would ultimately need Carney's approval. 'The prime minister is a student of math, and this should be a very easy case to make,' Volpe said. 'Ministers, including the minister responsible, are more in the weeds with other stakeholders.' 'The challenge for them is to make a distinction between which stakeholders employ Canadians in sustainable jobs and which ones are just fans of (electric vehicles).' Earlier this month, Clean Energy Canada, a climate policy program based out of Simon Fraser University, released a statement, defending the policy as being meant for consumers and not industry. It said that any adjustments the government may consider making should be to 'near-term' targets of the policy, while keeping the overall goal, and be coupled with an incentive package to help more Canadians afford these vehicles. Tim Reuss, president of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, said there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach that would work when it comes to a mandate, and was encouraged by what he says was 'considerable progress' in getting Carney and the Prime Minister's Office to understand the position of the industry. 'There's an understanding that something needs to be changed,' he said. 'However, that message does not seem to have fully reached the (environment) minister just yet, because there is still a sense of, 'no we have to meet our zero-emission target goals'.' National Post staylor@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here .
