Premiers to meet with Indigenous groups on first day of three-day Ontario gathering
The premiers are gathering at Deerhurst Resort in Ontario's cottage country and trade and tariffs are expected to be the main topics, particularly when they meet Tuesday with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
But first they are set to have discussions with leaders from the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council and the Native Women's Association of Canada, among other Indigenous groups.
That meeting comes as Indigenous communities have expressed concerns with federal and provincial laws meant to fast-track major infrastructure projects as a way to stimulate the economy facing tariff impacts.
The federal law known as Bill C-5 allows cabinet to quickly grant federal approvals for big projects deemed to be in the national interest by sidestepping existing laws, while Ontario's Bill C-5 allows its cabinet to suspend provincial and municipal laws through the creation of so-called 'special economic zones.'
Nine Ontario First Nations have filed a court challenge to the laws and are concerned there will not be meaningful consultation with them.
Carney hosted a meeting with hundreds of First Nations chiefs last week and while some chiefs walked out saying they saw an insufficient response to concerns they'd been raising for weeks, others left the meeting 'cautiously optimistic.'
Ford has said that over the course of the meeting this week, the premiers will also talk about emergency management, energy security, sovereignty and national security, health, and public safety.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Cabinet minister who criticized interpreter says she is focused on doing better
WINNIPEG - A Manitoba cabinet minister who criticized a sign language interpreter says she is focused on doing better and improving services for people with disabilities. Nahanni Fontaine, the minister responsible for services for people with disabilities, has repeatedly apologized for remarks she made last month while hosting a celebration for Indigenous women graduates. While preparing to speak to reporters after, Fontaine told one of her staff that she was thrown off by a sign language interpreter's presence and that the woman should not have been on stage. Fontaine held a news conference today to announce $825,000 in grants this year under an annual program that funds groups who help reduce barriers for people with disabilities. Fontaine says work is underway to better enforce accessibility standards, which could mean fines for businesses who fail to have a wheelchair ramp where required by law, for example. She also says her department will have sign language interpreters at all public events and the government will hire two dedicated interpreters to support all departments. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Ecuador Indigenous Union Vote Eases Anti-Government Stance
Ecuador's Indigenous union, CONAIE, is softening its confrontational stance following bursts of violent anti-government protests that diminished the group's political relevance. The umbrella organization elected a new leader this week, replacing hard-liner Leonidas Iza who led the harsh demonstrations against economic reform in 2019 and 2022. The outcome eases political tension with Ecuador's president, Daniel Noboa, whose market-friendly administration has been preoccupied with a security crisis.
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Protest over Bellevue land development reaches premier's desk
A group of Crowsnest Pass residents has appealed to Premier Danielle Smith to halt a controversial housing development in Bellevue, saying it threatens land of deep Indigenous cultural and archeological importance. In a letter sent July 9, the group urged the province to intervene following Crowsnest Pass council's April 15 approval of Bylaw 1221, 2025, a rezoning measure that clears the way for high- and medium-density housing on three municipal parcels — two in Bellevue and one in Coleman. While the land in Coleman has faced little objection, residents say the Bellevue parcels are inappropriate for development due to their historical and cultural significance. According to residents, oral histories shared by Blackfoot communities and archeological studies dating back to the 1970s say the site was used as a winter camp by Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. 'There's a sign right on the land. It's archeologically designated. You're not even allowed to drive your vehicle across it. Now they want to basically excavate everything and put up a bunch of apartment buildings on a sacred site,' said Vern Harrison, a resident leading the campaign. Residents say the land is protected by a restrictive covenant registered in 1999 under Alberta Land Titles, requiring an archeological review before any development. Despite this, they say the municipality is pressing ahead with no consultation with Indigenous communities and limited transparency around the land sale. What's the issue? On Feb. 11, council passed first reading of the bylaw, which sought to redesignate more than eight acres of public land in Bellevue and Coleman from open space and non-urban area to high-density residential. The changes were prompted by a proposed multi-family development by Pace Industries, which planned to build apartment complexes up to three storeys high. Public opposition mounted quickly. Ahead of a March 11 public hearing, council received 38 written submissions against the proposal. Dozens of residents packed the hearing, prompting council to delay second and third readings to gather more information. On April 15, council passed the bylaw with an amendment — changing the zoning of one Bellevue parcel nearest existing homes from high-density (R3) to medium-density (R2A). While council said the change addressed community feedback, residents say their core concern — the cultural and archeological value of the land — was ignored. Development permit appeal and new bylaws Residents took their concerns to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, which in June overturned Pace Industries' development permit, citing issues including inadequate parking. Soon after, residents say, council introduced a new measure — Bylaw 1237, 2025 — to lower parking requirements. Council's July 8 agenda explicitly states the bylaw was brought forward in response to the appeal ruling, Harrison said. According to the agenda, the development permit issued by the municipal planning commission included a 13 per cent variance in required parking — reducing the number of stalls from 126 to 110. The SDAB overturned the development permit due to reduced parking, warning of spillover into neighbourhoods. It recommended stricter rules, citing lack of public transit. But rather than tighten the rules, residents say, council introduced Bylaw 1237 to loosen them further. 'They're changing the bylaws to lower the parking requirements,' Harrison told Shootin' the Breeze. 'The reason for this bylaw is to get around the appeal. And that is the most recent example of how the council and the administration is demonstrating that they can't be trusted.' Tensions rise over heritage concerns Harrison also cited remarks from a council meeting that residents say helped trigger their letter to Premier Smith. According to minutes from council's June 24 meeting, Coun. Lisa Sygutek attended a meeting in Fort Macleod, where she raised the development issue with Smith during a conversation about red tape. 'We have a council that is pro-development, but it's getting logged up by people who are using the Indigenous Heritage section within the Cultural and Status of Women [department] to hold up development in this community,' the minutes quote Sygutek as saying. 'They lock it up.' The minutes go on to say: 'Premier Danielle Smith and Coun. Sygutek spoke on that department and how it is being weaponized to hold up development in Alberta.' 'This just makes us very angry,' Harrison said. 'That was one of the triggers for us to send this letter to Premier Smith, because we saw that this councillor was trying to basically circumvent the law, and try and influence the premier, and portray us as red tape. That's not right, not fair, and also very disrespectful.' Calls for provincial intervention The resident group's letter to Smith was also copied to Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney, NDP shadow minister for Indigenous relations Brooks Arcand-Paul, and Arts, Culture and Status of Women Minister Tanya Fir. 'We went to the province because we don't believe we can trust council anymore on this,' Harrison said. 'We really hope that the Alberta government will do the right thing. It's an opportunity for them to demonstrate that these guys are serious about respecting our Indigenous people and their culture.' So far, he added, they have received acknowledgement from the local MLA that the issue is under review. Why not build in Coleman? Harrison said their efforts are not about stopping development altogether but protecting the right place. 'They are saying that affordable housing is an urgent matter. What we don't understand is, they have the approval in Coleman, they have no opposition in Coleman … yet they're not building there,' he said. What's next While the land has been sold, no construction has begun and Pace Industries does not currently have a valid development permit. For now, more than 80 households in Bellevue remain committed to challenging the project and protecting the land they believe should be preserved for future generations. A group called Guardians of Sacred Lands in Alberta has also joined the residents to protect the land, Harrison said. 'We think this is the unique opportunity for the province to do the right thing and protect these lands,' he said. Council's response Deputy mayor Dave Filipuzzi said council's decision reflects the community's urgent need for housing and limited developable land in Crowsnest Pass. 'We can't stop our hospitals or our long-term care facilities because we don't have places for people to stay,' he said, adding that the whole town of Bellevue is designated a 4A archeological area, requiring procedures even for building garages or gardens. Filipuzzi said the designation can be removed and the developer has started the process of hiring professionals to conduct digs and submit findings to the province for review. 'This is just a bunch of people trying to make a big deal out of something because they don't want a two- or three-storey building in their neighbourhood,' he said. 'A view is not an excuse not to develop.' He added that development is essential for community growth, schools and small businesses to survive. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
