'Deliberate exclusion': Treaty 6 slams Ottawa's major projects bill
A group of western first nations is calling on federal lawmakers to vote against a bill before parliament that they call 'a direct threat to treaty rights and our democratic process.'
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Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, proposes granting the federal government sweeping powers over a five-year period to expedite approvals of infrastructure mega-projects deemed to be in the national interest by cabinet.
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The bill appears likely to become law after it passed second reading on Monday with the support of Opposition Conservatives by a 304 to 29 margin. MPs representing the Green Party, New Democratic Party, and Bloc Quebecois voted against the bill.
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On Tuesday, the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations issued a news release speaking out against the bill, claiming their members weren't properly consulted and that the legislation gives Ottawa too much power without consideration of treaty rights.
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'If this bill passes, it will not create certainty for development. It will create conflict.'
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He noted the irony of Ottawa moving to assert itself against a larger threat by itself threatening a treaty that dates back to 1876, saying the bill would give cabinet the power to 'bulldoze our rights.'
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'Canada claims it is responding to pressure from the United States — the so-called 'bully.' But in doing so, Canada is using that as an excuse to bully our nations. This is unacceptable to treaty peoples.'
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The bill could be passed as soon as this week, with Prime Minister Mark Carney having set a goal of having that happen by Canada Day.
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In announcing Bill C-5 earlier this month, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the legislation will remove federal trade barriers to internal trade and labour mobility while also advancing 'nation-building projects crucial for driving Canadian productivity growth, energy security, and economic competitiveness.'
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