Latest news with #ImpactAssessmentAct
Calgary Herald
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Alberta autonomy may not be the be-all and end-all
Article content When asked last week about the objective of the new Alberta Next panel, Premier Danielle Smith declared that, 'it's not so much the West wants in, it's the West wants Ottawa out of its hair.' Article content The premier has made the point repeatedly about the need for greater autonomy and independence for Alberta ('within a united Canada,' as she is always quick to note). But we need to be more precise in defining that. We also need to recognize that Alberta already holds many of these cards. Article content Article content Article content The premier took to social media to announce that she's looking for feedback on the future of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP): 'it's time to ask whether we stay with the status quo or create our own Alberta pension plan.' Article content Article content That's an important question for Albertans to ponder. However, we've already done so. Article content Just a few weeks ago we learned the results of the massive survey launched by the Alberta government in 2023 on this very question. More than 94,000 Albertans took part in that survey, and only 10 per cent expressed support for leaving the CPP (63 per cent were opposed). Article content Of course, the government is still free to pursue an Alberta pension plan or put the matter to a referendum. Just two months ago, however, the premier was suggesting there was no appetite for that. Now, she's acting like it's all coming up for the first time. Article content The stubborn fixation on this issue is interesting. It's a change that Alberta could make — an example of 'well, Quebec does it,' it's something with potential upside and it's a decision that would send a strong message to the rest of the country about Alberta's importance. Article content Article content Yet, Alberta's government can't bring itself to do it, and can't convince Albertans that it's something worth doing. In fact, there's much in the way of 'autonomy' that Alberta rejects or abdicates. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's important context here. Article content That's also not to say that Ottawa hasn't been in our hair. The Supreme Court sided with Alberta in finding that parts of the Impact Assessment Act infringed on provincial jurisdiction. Furthermore, the proposed oil and gas emissions cap and the Clean Electricity Regulations arguably infringe on provincial jurisdiction in the areas of natural resources and electricity. Article content Those federal policies were included in the premier's nine demands to the federal government earlier this year, but the rest had little to do with provincial autonomy and more to do with policy wishes and disagreements.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
First Nations opposition to Bill C-5 draws comparisons to Idle No More movement
As more First Nations voice opposition to Bill C-5, some are drawing comparisons to the 2012 Idle No More movement. Hayden King, executive director of the Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led research and education centre at Toronto Metropolitan University, said both the speed with which it was passed and ideas in the bill remind him of former prime minister Stephen Harper's omnibus bill that helped create the Idle No More movement. "It was trying to do the very same thing, right? It was trying to fast-track resource development and it got pushed back and it got resistance," said King, who is Anishinaabe from Beausoleil First Nation in Ontario. "And as basically [Prime Minister Mark] Carney's first act, he's taken up that mantle to really drive and push that extractive resource development." Passed into law last week, Bill C-5 aims to remove interprovincial trade barriers while another, more controversial, part of the law aims to speed up projects of national interest, including energy development projects, by allowing special "designated projects" to bypass some federal laws. "We're talking about species at risk laws, Fisheries Act, and I think importantly for Indigenous people, we're talking about… the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act," King said. Under the Impact Assessment Act, Indigenous people must be consulted and Indigenous knowledge and rights — and impacts on those rights — should be considered during a project's assessment. Each of these laws outline what consultation should look like, King added, so without them, communities are unsure how much they will be consulted. The federal government has said that Indigenous Peoples will be consulted during the process of choosing the projects to be designated and the review process for projects chosen will include further consultations with those potentially impacted by them. The federal government has also announced a series of "summits" that will take place over the summer with First Nations, Inuit and Métis. A statement from the Assembly of First Nations said it would be holding a virtual forum with chiefs on July 10 to discuss amendments made to Bill C-5, ahead of the prime minister's planned meeting with First Nations on July 17. National Chief Cindy Woodhouse's statement also thanked Mi'kmaw Sen. Paul Prosper who proposed an amendment last week to have free, prior, and informed consent included in the bill, though it was voted down. Many Indigenous communities and groups have put out statements outlining their concerns with the bill, in addition to demonstrations and other actions like a letter-writing campaign. Earlier this month, the Chiefs of Ontario released a statement saying that the bill was being pushed through Parliament "at an unprecedented speed." In the same statement, Temagami Chief Shelly Moore-Frappier said "this bill is about exercising power over the First Peoples and our lands and resources." Multiple nations in Alberta have also released statements, including Samson Cree Nation which called C-5 the "No Indigenous Rights" bill, adding that it cannot be used to bypass the need for free, prior and informed consent on projects. Similarly, Assembly of First Nations Québec-Labrador said the federal government chose confrontation rather than co-operation in its approach to passing the bill, and said it did "nothing about climate, biodiversity or a just transition." Idle No More Ontario, a grassroots group, called C-5 and similar provincial bills a betrayal of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and treaty obligations "In terms of respecting Indigenous rights, respecting Indigenous sovereignty, respecting Indigenous peoples jurisdiction — certainly to say no to unwelcome development in their territory — none of these pieces of legislation make any space for that," King said. John Desjarlais, executive director of the Indigenous Resource Network, an organization that advocates for workers, business owners and communities who support Indigenous inclusion in the natural resources sector, said he doesn't see anything in the bill that is "designed to bypass rights." Rather, he said, the bill is an opportunity to respond to world forces while respecting constitutionally protected rights. "We've never seen… government so willing and able to get to the table," Desjarlais said. Desjarlais said he's heard signals from the government that Indigenous equity and ownership of infrastructure projects will be outcomes of the bill. "There's a strong assurance there, which means that these communities can use these source revenues to to self-determine and to reinvest in their communities on their terms," he said. In light of the many statements brought forward by First Nations groups, Desjarlais said, "I err on the side of that maybe there wasn't enough [consultation]." "It's always a challenge to determine what's an appropriate level of consultation." Because of historical circumstances where projects were pursued without proper or adequate consultation of Indigenous rights holders, Desjarlais said, the current approval system has become risk averse with many sets of approvals to go through. "But this is where it becomes a little burdensome, layer upon layer upon layer," he said. The government has said the goal of the bill is to speed up the approvals process so that projects can complete federal review in under two years. Desjarlais said when projects reach a point where "we know 90 per cent of what we need to know" then more consultation only slows down the process. At that point, he said, it's OK for projects to move forward and then adapt later if needs arise.
Edmonton Journal
5 days ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Trump says he's 'terminating' trade talks with Canada over digital services tax
Article content Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also shared his disappointment that trade talks between Canada and the U.S. have halted and expressed hope 'they resume quickly.' 'As always, Conservatives are ready to help get a good deal for Canada. We must put Canada First,' he wrote. Poilievre did not call for the government to repeal the DST, instead advocating for it to repeal the Impact Assessment Act, the industrial carbon tax, the electric vehicle mandate and a number of other laws that could prevent businesses from flourishing in Canada. Disappointed that trade talks have halted. Hopefully they resume quickly. As always, Conservatives are ready to help get a good deal for Canada. We must put Canada First. At the same time, the government must take emergency action to bolster Canada's economy: Fully repeal the… — Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) June 27, 2025
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Alberta erupts as Premier Smith warns separatist support has never been higher, this is not a fringe issue anymore
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the desire among Albertans to leave Canada has reached an unprecedented level, following a surprise result in a recent provincial byelection that saw a separatist candidate claim nearly 18 percent of the at a press conference in Calgary on Wednesday(June 25), Smith said the growing support for separation is 'a signal of deep frustration and anger' in the province, particularly over federal laws that she claims are restricting Alberta's energy sector.'This is not a fringe issue anymore,' Smith said. 'I take that frustration seriously, and I hope Prime Minister Mark Carney does too.'The premier's remarks come just weeks after Alberta passed legislation making it easier for citizens to trigger a provincial referendum on separation. Under Bill 54, passed on May 15, a petition signed by just 10 percent of voters (around 177,000 people) would be enough to force a non-binding vote on whether Alberta should pursue independence from Smith insists she is not personally advocating for secession, she argues that the federal government must act to calm the growing unrest. She has urged Ottawa to repeal or revise environmental and energy policies she believes are harming Alberta's oil and gas economy, particularly the federal Impact Assessment Act and emissions caps.'The ball is in the Prime Minister's court,' Smith said. 'Albertans want to be treated fairly. If we see that, the separatist movement will lose momentum.'Federal Internal Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, who appeared at the same event, pointed to recent legislation passed by Parliament that aims to accelerate approval of infrastructure and energy projects of 'national interest.' She urged Albertans to see this as proof that Ottawa is prioritizing economic frustrations remain high in the western province, where energy jobs and revenues play a crucial role. Pipeline workers, farmers, and small business owners say they feel ignored by federal policies crafted in faraway suggest support for Alberta independence remains a minority view, hovering around 30–35 percent. But the growing visibility of separatist candidates and rhetoric has caught national attention and stirred concerns of a new unity crisis in Canada.
6 days ago
- Business
Carney's 'nation-building' projects bill passes Senate — but not without Indigenous pushback
The Senate passed Prime Minister Mark Carney's landmark 'nation-building' projects bill unamended Thursday, giving the federal government extraordinary new powers to fast-track initiatives that have the potential to boost the economy as Canada grapples with the U.S. trade war. Carney's cabinet can now streamline the approvals process by allowing some projects to bypass provisions of federal laws like the Impact Assessment Act, which has long been criticized as a hindrance to getting things approved in a timely manner. While the legislation doesn't dictate what should be built, Carney has signalled it could be used to greenlight new energy corridors in the east and west, including possible pipelines and electricity grids, new and expanded port facilities, mines and other resource-related initiatives. Carney has framed the legislation as a way for Canada to fight back against American trade aggression, which has already stunted economic growth, prompted job loss and caused exports to drop. While the bill was approved by members of the Red Chamber, some senators strenuously opposed it, most of them citing Indigenous rights as the reason. Some members proposed amendments that would have delayed the bill's passage if adopted, but all were voted down. The legislation itself states the government will recognize, affirm and respect Indigenous Peoples' constitutional rights when considering a project to fast-track. But there's a fear among some leaders that the consultation process with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities will be inadequate given Carney campaigned on making final decisions within a two-year timeline. These leaders want protections for what's called free, prior and informed consent in the Indigenous legal sphere. Paul Prosper, a Mi'kmaw senator from Nova Scotia, led the charge against the legislation in a speech to the chamber Thursday, quoting other First Nations leaders who called C-5 not reconciliation but a betrayal of it. While saying he generally supports development, Prosper said he didn't want to quickly pass a bill that has been panned by some Indigenous leaders as the product of inadequate consultation with affected communities. WATCH | C-5 a 'betrayal' of reconciliation: Prosper: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Bill C-5 a 'betrayal' of reconciliation, says Sen. Prosper in speech Sen. Paul Prosper rose in the Senate chamber Thursday to speak against the way Bill C-5 is moving through Parliament. Prosper says the Liberal major projects bill is being rushed and the government has failed to properly consult Indigenous stakeholders. He said the bill may empower government and industry to run roughshod over Indigenous rights when building a project. No one wants to watch our children grow up in squalor, with no access to clean drinking water, no opportunity for good-paying jobs and no support for our sick and dying. However, we do not want success and progress to come on the backs of Indigenous Peoples. We want to be at the table, making decisions alongside Canadian politicians, because these decisions affect us. They affect our lands and resources, Prosper said. Prosper said it's the Senate's job to stand up for regional and minority interests and there's no reason to charge ahead after relatively little time to study C-5's provisions and the possible consequences. Prosper said his office has faced racist and abusive telephone calls in the days since he announced he would try to amend C-5 or slow it down. The racist vitriol and threats my office experienced was so intense, staff asked for permission to not pick up unknown phone calls. That isn't right and it isn't acceptable, he said. WATCH | What is Bill C-5?: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? What is Bill C-5 and what might it mean for trade and pipelines? The federal bill takes aim at trade barriers between provinces and should make it easier to build big infrastructure projects. Some hope the bill will translate into pipeline development, but there is notable opposition to the legislation as well. Brian Francis, a Mi'kmaw senator from P.E.I., said there's no guarantee the promised economic benefits for fast-tracking projects will be fairly shared with Indigenous Peoples. He said rushing through the bill could ultimately delay projects because of the potential for Indigenous-led lawsuits. Are we truly in a crisis that warrants such exceptional and unprecedented measures? Francis asked. Other senators questioned whether so quickly passing C-5 was necessary. Speaking of the economic threats, Sen. Bernadette Clement said: This sometimes feels like an emergency, but is it? Growing our economy, nation-building. Yeah, that's urgent, it requires a timely and efficient response, but it doesn't require the trampling of Indigenous rights and our environmental protections, she said. In an address to the Toronto Board of Trade, Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said C-5 is a nation-defining piece of legislation that will stand up a major projects office to move projects along quickly. Under this new regime, reviews will be focused on 'how' the project will be built as opposed to 'whether' it will be built, to give proponents more certainty about investing in Canada, he said. This act allows us to reset that narrative about building in Canada — so we can go from delay to delivery, he said. We find ourselves in the middle of the most devastating trade war of our lifetimes. A trade war we did not ask for, but a trade war we must win. John Paul Tasker (new window) · CBC News
