Sabia's PMO appointment could boost Indigenous role in resource projects: Kahnawake chief
Canadian Politics
By
A Kahnawake council chief says Michael Sabia's appointment to the Prime Minister's Office signals Mark Carney is serious about getting resource projects done with Indigenous involvement.
In his time as Hydro‑Québec CEO and president, Sabia focused on the company's relationship with Indigenous communities, which Kahnawake council Chief Paul Rice said was historically fraught.
'He had a genuine interest in advancing Indigenous relations with Hydro‑Québec ... and to advance Indigenous participation in major projects,' Rice said about Sabia in an interview.
'The way that Hydro‑Québec got its start (was) pretty much taking the land away from these nations in order to generate power, and then ultimately income. So there's a lot of pain and a lot of bad history between the nations and companies like Hydro‑Québec,' pointing to a historical conflict that arose when Hydro‑Québec established a dam on Cree territory in James Bay.
Rice highlighted several projects under Sabia that reflect the company's commitment to Indigenous equity and participation. One notable example is the Hertel-New York interconnection transmission line, which Hydro-Québec signed with the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake in 2024. It marks the utility's first project involving shared ownership of transmission infrastructure with both a third party and a First Nation community.
Rice also highlighted Sabia's handling of unpaid hydro bills in certain communities, linking the issue to Hydro-Québec's history of profiting from land taken from Indigenous Nations. He believes Sabia brought in experts to manage the situation more thoughtfully and responsibly.
He also cited the council's recent successful bid to become equity partners in the 144-megawatt Les Jardins wind energy project as another sign of progress.
'When they place an importance on Indigenous equity and Indigenous participation in the projects, it really allows us to benefit,' he said in an interview. 'Not just from potential employment ... we're able to benefit tremendously from equity ownership and income.'
In addition to collaborating with the Mohawk Nation on major energy projects, Rice noted that Hydro‑Québec donated $10 million to help build a new language and cultural centre.
Rice is hopeful that bringing Sabia into the Prime Minister's Office will influence Carney's approach to energy projects, which he has found disappointing so far during Carney's time in office.
'The first big move that the prime minister made was essentially to try to fast track a number of resource projects,' he said, referring to the Liberals' major projects legislation, which grants upfront regulatory approvals and eliminates all federal barriers to interprovincial trade.
'I'm not opposed to resource development and major projects, but the way in which he did it kind of alienated and infuriated a number of nations whose territories those projects are on,' he explained.
'Sabia, through his work at Hydro‑Québec, has empowered nations to be more involved as equity participants in projects.' Rice hopes Sabia's presence in the PMO will push the Liberal government to bring on Indigenous communities early in project planning, as well as consult them openly, involve them in the economics and business side, and make Indigenous equity participation mandatory for resource projects to move forward.
Karl Moore, a professor in McGill's Faculty of Management who invites Sabia to speak to his class every year, said Sabia is knowledgeable of the Indigenous communities and their concerns, and will 'absolutely' bring these issues to the table as the clerk.
'He speaks fluent Carney,' Moore said, pointing to Sabia's background in Canada's Department of Finance and his role as Chief Financial Officer at CN Railway, as well as Carney's own deep financial credentials that helped secure his election win.
'Having been in the finance department in Ottawa, he would get what the prime minister's trying to accomplish.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Canada Standard
5 hours ago
- Canada Standard
Indian delegation in Ireland to attend 40th anniversary memorial of Kanishka bombing
Dublin [Ireland], June 23 (ANI): A high-level Indian delegation led by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri along with BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, and representatives from five states, has arrived in Ireland, to participate in the 40th anniversary memorial of the Air India Kanishka bombing. The commemoration will take place at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork on Sunday. The delegation includes prominent elected representatives, including Arvinder Singh Lovely (Delhi MLA), Baldev Singh Aulakh (Minister from Uttar Pradesh), Gurveer Singh Brar (MLA from Rajasthan), Trilok Singh Cheema (MLA from Uttarakhand), and Narinder Singh Raina (MLA from Jammu and Kashmir). The solemn memorial service will be attended by Ireland's Prime Minister, Micheal Martin, Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, and several other international dignitaries. This event not only commemorates the 329 innocent victims of the 1985 terror attack but also reinforces the global commitment against terrorism. In a post on X, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, 'On the way from Heathrow to dastardly mid air bombing of Air India Kanishka Flight 182 in 1985 which claimed 329 innocent lives off the Irish Coast remains one of the most inhuman acts of terror in aviation history.I was able to pay tribute to the victims at the Kanishka Memorial at Humber Bay Park in Toronto in September 2019 where I also met family members of several victims who had shared their pain and suffering.' 'On Monday, 23 June 2025, I will lead an Indian delegation comprising senior Punjab leader Sh@tarunchughbjpJi, legislators from several states Sdr@ArvinderLovelyJi, Sdr@BaldevAulakhJi, Sdr@GurveerBrarJi and Sdr Trilok Singh Cheema Ji, to join the Irish Prime Minister HE@MichealMartinTD, Canadian Minister of Public Safety HE Gary Anandasangaree@gary_srpand others, to pay homage to the victims at an event at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork, Ireland in a solemn moment of remembrance and unity, on the 40th anniversary of the reprehensible Kanishka Bombing,' he added. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh said, 'The Kanishka bombing was a painful reminder of the brutal face of terrorism, which claimed innocent lives across nations. As I stand on Irish soil, I pay my heartfelt tribute to those who perished, and reaffirm our resolve to unite against terror in all its forms.' (ANI)
Canada News.Net
5 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
Canada warns of retaliation without Trump agreement
OTTAWA, Canada: Canada may boost its counter-tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from the U.S. if a comprehensive trade agreement with President Donald Trump is not finalized within the next 30 days, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced this week. Earlier this month, Trump raised import duties on these metals from 25 percent to 50 percent, prompting the industry to call for Canada to respond officially. This decision could negatively impact Canada, the largest supplier of steel and aluminum to the U.S. Carney stated that he had reached a mutual agreement with Trump to aim for a new economic and security deal by July 21. He emphasized that, based on the progress achieved in the trade negotiations, Canada would modify its existing counter-tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum products by that date. While Carney did not immediately respond to Trump's recent tariff increase, he expressed the desire to see advancements in talks focused on establishing a stronger economic and security alliance. Earlier this year, on March 13, Canada enacted 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on steel products worth C$12.6 billion and aluminum products worth C$3 billion. Furthermore, Canada is introducing new procurement policies that allow Canadian producers and trading partners with tariff-free access to compete for federal contracts involving steel and aluminum. Carney also indicated that Canada intends to create new tariff-rate quotas equal to 100 percent of 2024 levels for steel imported from nations without free trade agreements, aiming to stabilize the domestic market and prevent detrimental trade shifts. Approximately 90 percent of Canada's steel and aluminum exports go to the U.S., while Canada consumes about 20 percent of U.S. steel exports and 50 percent of U.S. aluminum exports, according to the Royal Bank of Canada, underscoring the importance of this trade relationship. Under Carney's leadership, Canada is advancing numerous infrastructure projects, including those related to defense and housing, which will significantly increase the demand for steel and aluminum. "We are committed to supporting the industry by prioritizing Canadian steel and aluminum in federal projects," Carney stated during a press conference.
Canada News.Net
5 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
Indian delegation in Ireland to attend 40th anniversary memorial of Kanishka bombing
Dublin [Ireland], June 23 (ANI): A high-level Indian delegation led by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri along with BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, and representatives from five states, has arrived in Ireland, to participate in the 40th anniversary memorial of the Air India Kanishka bombing. The commemoration will take place at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork on Sunday. The delegation includes prominent elected representatives, including Arvinder Singh Lovely (Delhi MLA), Baldev Singh Aulakh (Minister from Uttar Pradesh), Gurveer Singh Brar (MLA from Rajasthan), Trilok Singh Cheema (MLA from Uttarakhand), and Narinder Singh Raina (MLA from Jammu and Kashmir). The solemn memorial service will be attended by Ireland's Prime Minister, Micheal Martin, Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, and several other international dignitaries. This event not only commemorates the 329 innocent victims of the 1985 terror attack but also reinforces the global commitment against terrorism. In a post on X, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, 'On the way from Heathrow to dastardly mid air bombing of Air India Kanishka Flight 182 in 1985 which claimed 329 innocent lives off the Irish Coast remains one of the most inhuman acts of terror in aviation history.I was able to pay tribute to the victims at the Kanishka Memorial at Humber Bay Park in Toronto in September 2019 where I also met family members of several victims who had shared their pain and suffering.' 'On Monday, 23 June 2025, I will lead an Indian delegation comprising senior Punjab leader Sh@tarunchughbjpJi, legislators from several states Sdr@ArvinderLovelyJi, Sdr@BaldevAulakhJi, Sdr@GurveerBrarJi and Sdr Trilok Singh Cheema Ji, to join the Irish Prime Minister HE@MichealMartinTD, Canadian Minister of Public Safety HE Gary Anandasangaree@gary_srpand others, to pay homage to the victims at an event at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork, Ireland in a solemn moment of remembrance and unity, on the 40th anniversary of the reprehensible Kanishka Bombing,' he added. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh said, 'The Kanishka bombing was a painful reminder of the brutal face of terrorism, which claimed innocent lives across nations. As I stand on Irish soil, I pay my heartfelt tribute to those who perished, and reaffirm our resolve to unite against terror in all its forms.' (ANI)
