Latest news with #IndigenousLeaders
CTV News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Doug Ford apologizes for ‘hat in hand' comment on First Nations
First Nations leaders called Ont. Premier Ford's apology 'sincere' after comments he made surrounding Bill 5 were referred to as racist.
Globe and Mail
18 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Carney responds to Indigenous criticism of project fast-track bill, says consultation is ‘at the heart' of C-5
Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to criticism from Indigenous leaders over his government's bill to fast track large projects, saying consultation and involvement with Indigenous peoples is 'at the heart' of Ottawa's plans. He made the comments Thursday after opposition parties amended the bill in committee to address some of the concerns expressed by Indigenous groups. Bill C-5 creates two new federal laws. The Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act aims to eliminate federal barriers to interprovincial trade and that section has been relatively uncontroversial. However, Indigenous and environmental advocates in particular have expressed strong concern with the bill's second element, The Building Canada Act, which aims to help implement a Liberal campaign pledge to fast track approvals for large infrastructure projects that are in the national interest. The general premise of the bill is that it would allow cabinet to list specific large projects as national priorities and then exempt them from the application of various laws, or aspects of laws, in order to speed up the approval process. Critics say the proposed changes would weaken existing requirements related to Indigenous consultation and environmental protection. Chartrand on Bill C-5: 'We do have to have consent from Indigenous rights holders' At a news conference Thursday, Mr. Carney was asked to respond to those concerns. 'The first thing is that at the heart of this legislation is section 35 of our Constitution. At the heart is not just respect for, but full embrace of free, prior and informed consent. It has to be seen as well, in parallel, with very major measures that this government is taking to not just support those partnerships, but also to finance equity ownership in these nation-building projects for Indigenous peoples, Indigenous groups, Indigenous rights holders,' he said. He then added that the legislation lays out a process for consulting and working with Indigenous peoples in the process of selecting specific projects. 'Consultation, co-operation, engagement, participation is at the heart of C-5 and that is how you build a nation. And that's very much how we've designed it,' he said. The bill was reported back to the House of Commons Thursday by the transport committee, which approved a long list of amendments. Conservative MP and committee member Philip Lawrence said in a statement that the amendments ensure that the government can't use the legislation to circumvent a host of laws, such as the Lobbying Act, the Conflict of Interest Act and the Indian Act. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak urged MPs during a committee hearing Wednesday to allow more time for the bill to be studied and to remove the Indian Act from a list of laws that could be circumvented. What federal Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, is all about She said in an interview Thursday morning that her organization was analyzing the amendments to the bill. She thanked the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois for removing the original bill's reference to the Indian Act. She reiterated that the AFN is still very disappointed that First Nations rights holders were shut out of the legislative process. A couple of chiefs are for the bill, she said, while many are not. 'They are not having a chance to be heard,' she said. Ms. Woodhouse Nepinak said she was concerned that the original power to circumvent the Indian Act could have been used to override First Nations rights. An AFN staff member told the transportation committee this week that they never received an explanation from the government as to why the Indian Act was referenced in the original bill. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty, speaking to the Senate on Tuesday, said that when moving forward with projects, some communities are subjected to 'archaic provisions' under the Indian Act. She said any exemption to advance a project would be in consultation with First Nations. Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said Thursday that cabinet ministers are reviewing the committee's amendments. He later said in the House that he hopes to have the legislation adopted before Canada Day. Friday is the last scheduled sitting day of the House of Commons before breaking for summer until mid-September. The Senate is scheduled to sit next week and is expected to give final approval to C-5. NDP MP Leah Gazan strongly criticized the bill in Question Period, predicting it will lead to court challenges. 'Indigenous rights holders and civil-society groups have been clear: Bill C-5 violates constitutional rights, escalates the climate crisis and endangers workers health and safety,' she said.
Washington Post
18 hours ago
- General
- Washington Post
California is to examine its Amazon oil ties following pleas from Indigenous leaders from Ecuador
RICHMOND, California — An oil tanker sat docked at Chevron's sprawling refinery in Richmond on Thursday — a visible link between California's appetite for Amazon crude and the remote rainforest territories where it's extracted. Just offshore, bundled in puffy jackets against the Bay wind, Indigenous leaders from Ecuador's Amazon paddled kayaks through choppy waters, calling attention to the oil expansion threatening their lands.
Malaysian Reserve
19 hours ago
- General
- Malaysian Reserve
New stamp honours First Nations Elder and Knowledge Keeper Bruce Starlight
Starlight has spent more than five decades preserving his language and culture This news release is also available to read in Tsúut'ínà. TSÚUT'ÍNÀ NATION, AB, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ – A gathering was held in Tsúut'ínà Nation near Calgary, Alberta, today as Canada Post celebrated an upcoming stamp featuring Bruce Starlight. Known as Dit'óní Didlishí (Spotted Eagle), Starlight is an Elder and Knowledge Keeper who has spent more than five decades advocating to save his language and culture from extinction. This stamp is one of three Indigenous Leaders stamps that will be issued tomorrow, June 20 – the day before National Indigenous Peoples Day. The set is the fourth in Canada Post's multi-year Indigenous Leaders series. Starlight's life and legacy Born in 1947 on the Tsúut'ínà Nation, Starlight is the son of the late Chief James 'Jim' Starlight, who served as chief of the First Nations community for more than a decade during the 1950s and early 60s. Although he had to leave high school to help support his family after his father died, Starlight went on to study linguistics at the University of Calgary later in life. Frustrated by a lack of support for the teaching of Tsúut'ínà, he began to document its alphabet, words and phrases. In the 1970s, Starlight served as a councillor on the Tsúut'ínà Chief and Council and assisted Elder George Heavenfire in teaching participants about Tsúut'ínà history during the Sarcee Cultural Survival Camp. In 1992, he became the first elected Indigenous director on the Calgary Stampede Board of Directors, after serving as the first chairman of the First Nations Events Committee. One of the last fluent speakers of the Tsúut'ínà language, in 2008 Starlight was among the founders of the Tsúut'ínà Gunáhà Násʔághà – an institute dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of his mother tongue. An accomplished teacher and speaker, he has developed extensive materials for Tsúut'ínà instruction, including dictionaries and recordings. Although he retired as language commissioner for the Tsúut'ínà Nation in 2022, Starlight continues to serve as a speaker and advisor on Indigenous issues. He recently collaborated on a collection of traditional narratives and historical accounts in Tsúut'ínà and a Tsúut'ínà-to-English glossary. In 2023, Starlight received an honorary doctorate from Mount Royal University. About the stamp The stamp features a photograph of Starlight wearing a headdress that identifies him as an elected official. He bears a medallion presented to the leaders of Treaty First Nations commemorating the 125th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 7; it was presented to him by the president of the Navajo Nation. Starlight also wears a Hudson's Bay blanket coat. A trade item between the Indigenous Peoples and the settlers, the Hudson's Bay blanket can symbolize entering and leaving the world wrapped in a blanket. The stamp is designed by Andrew Perro, featuring photography by Richard Anseeuw and background imagery from iStock. It is printed by Lowe-Martin. The issue includes a booklet of six Permanent™ stamps, an Official First Day Cover and a souvenir sheet. The cancellation site is Calgary (near Starlight's birthplace) and the cancellation mark bears an image of an eagle. About the Indigenous Leaders stamp series The Indigenous Leaders series was launched in 2022 and highlights the contributions of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders who dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. This year, Canada Post will issue three stamps in honour of Julia Haogak Ogina, Sophie McDougall and Bruce Starlight. There were two other stamp events this month: On Friday, June 13, the stamp honouring Julia Haogak Ogina was celebrated in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories. On Tuesday, June 17, the stamp commemorating Sophie McDougall was celebrated in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The new stamps and collectibles will be available at and select postal outlets across Canada starting June 20. For links to images of the stamps and other products: Access an external folder with high-resolution images. Watch the video and read the Canada Post magazine article. Social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. TM Trademark of Canada Post Corporation.
CBC
19 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Carney's push for 'nation-building' projects moves ahead despite some Indigenous opposition
Social Sharing Prime Minister Mark Carney promised during the election campaign to "build big, build bold" and the legislation that would enable federal fast-tracking of major projects appears poised to clear the House of Commons despite some Indigenous opposition. The legislation, Bill C-5, essentially gives cabinet the ability to pick certain projects to speed through the regulatory process, with an eye to projects that can deliver an economic boost to Canada, help strengthen the country's autonomy and resilience and, notably, "advance the interests of Indigenous peoples" and contribute to "clean growth." While the bill, the One Canadian Economy Act, is expected to pass the Commons this week with Conservative support, opposition MPs made a number of amendments to the legislation Wednesday night to, among other things, make the streamlined process more transparent by forcing Ottawa to publish the conditions of approval and limiting the government's ability to allow a project to bypass certain laws. Government House leader Mark MacKinnon said Thursday the cabinet will review the amendments quickly before deciding what it's willing to accept. WATCH | Carney says Indigenous rights are central to C-5: Carney says Indigenous rights are central to Bill C-5 2 hours ago Duration 2:01 Following pushback from Indigenous leaders on the government's bill to get major projects built, Prime Minister Carney emphasized that Indigenous consultation is central to the legislation. Speaking at a news conference in Ottawa on Thursday, Carney affirmed the government's commitment to 'embrace' Indigenous Peoples' right to free, prior, and informed consent under the Constitution. Canadians are tired of delays that have hurt economic growth and the government is determined to push ahead with the law, he said, which allows cabinet to exempt projects from provisions of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and the Impact Assessment Law in the name of expediency. Cabinet reviewing amendments A Conservative amendment, if adopted, means however projects must comply with other laws, like the Conflict of Interest Act and Lobbying Act. "Under the original Liberal proposal, projects could have been approved and built that would financially benefit members of the cabinet," the party said in a statement. The Conservatives are making changes to stop the government from "sneaking in provisions that would give themselves the power to broadly skirt the laws of the land without consequences," the party said. The government hasn't said what exactly would be fast-tracked under this legislation — and there are no specific projects mentioned in the bill itself — but Carney has signalled support for new energy "corridors" in the east and west, which could include pipelines and electricity grids, new and expanded port facilities, mines and other resource-related initiatives. WATCH | Grand chief wants Governor General to intervene: Speaking to reporters at an announcement Thursday about measures to protect the Canadian steel and aluminum industry, Carney said C-5 is "the core of our domestic response" to President Donald Trump's tariffs. The push to get "nation-building" projects built, many of which would require huge quantities of steel and aluminum during construction, will help hard-hit sectors weather the U.S. trade war, he said. "It's an important piece of legislation that has massive support among Canadians," MacKinnon said. "It was at the heart of our election campaign and election platform." While some Indigenous leaders are opposed, others are on side with the push to deliver more money and jobs to communities that stand to gain from development, MacKinnon said. "There are Indigenous communities, Indigenous nations that want to participate — they exist all over the country and they deserve to have their voices heard," MacKinnon said. Still, some Indigenous leaders are pushing back against giving the cabinet, or the minister they designate to shepherd a project through, so much power to choose major projects. The legislation itself states the government will recognize, affirm and "respect" Indigenous peoples' constitutional rights when considering a project. 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 on projects within a two-year timeline. Right to be consulted The approvals process has been much longer than that in recent years with industry groups and critics saying endless consultations have bogged down getting things built, hurting the economy. Some Indigenous leaders, meanwhile, say they should be given a meaningful amount of time to offer opinions on a path forward. The Supreme Court has ruled Indigenous peoples have a right to be consulted on a potential project — but they do not have a final veto on whether something should go ahead. Carney promised Thursday to respect the government's legal obligations to Indigenous peoples — and make money available to communities that want to take an equity stake in proposed projects so any potential wealth can be shared. "Consultation, co-operation, engagement, participation is at the heart of C-5 and that is how you build a nation. And that's very much how we've designed it," Carney said. Despite those assurances, Indigenous leaders want more of a say over the bill itself, with clearer provisions that their rights won't be trampled as the government pushes to get things built fast during a trade war. WATCH | Senator says he'll introduce amendment to delay Bill C-5: Senator says he'll introduce amendment to delay Bill C-5 3 days ago Duration 1:14 Paul Prosper, a Mi'kmaw senator from Nova Scotia, is promising to "slow down the process" in the Red Chamber with an amendment to give Indigenous peoples more time to weigh in and make their pitches to change the bill. "If you don't do it right, we're looking at some potential litigation in the future. It's best to be proactive now," Prosper said. It's not clear if he will be successful. The Senate has already agreed to a "work plan" to get the legislation through the upper house before it rises for the summer recess. MacKinnon said the bill will be put to a final vote in the Senate next week. Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, who represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario, wants the Governor General to step in before giving the legislation royal assent — which is an unlikely and constitutionally dubious proposition.
