Latest news with #MeechLake
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada still doesn't understand respecting Indigenous rights
Opinion Thirty-five years ago this week, history was made in Manitoba. Events this week in Ottawa point to just how little we have learnt from that history. In Manitoba in June of 1990, Elijah Harper, MLA for what was then the third party NDP Opposition in a minority government, said 'No', and opposed the Meech Lake Accord. The backdrop was clear. A crisis. In this case, the 'need' to include Quebec in the constitution. The solution, Canadians were told, was the Meech Lake Accord. It was agreed to by Canada's premiers with an artificial deadline set by then-prime minister Brian Mulroney. He talked about rolling the dice. There was one problem. There were many people opposed to Meech Lake. In particular, Indigenous people were clear. It not only excluded Indigenous people, but threatened to be a major step backwards. Elijah Harper was the voice for Indigenous Peoples when he came out against the Accord. What is often missed is how Elijah Harper said 'No'. He said no to procedurally giving leave to rush through the ratification of Meech Lake. Despite great pressure from the federal government, Speaker Denis Rocan ruled in favour of the key point of order brought forward by Elijah Harper arguing that the proper notice procedure had not been followed. There was no closure and the Legislature could not pass the Accord before the deadline. Thirty-five years later, in Ottawa, the House of Commons is rushing through Bill C-5 without consultation. It is a bill that claims to respond to a crisis. That somehow Canada's response to the so-called existential threat with Donald Trump is to throw out our existing processes for approving major projects, and instead we must speed up approvals by threatening to sideline Indigenous rights and environmental protections. To achieve this, the government is relying on the full support of the Conservative opposition, not only to support the legislation but to bring in closure, limiting debate. A handful of MP's have spoken out against both the contents and process of Bill C-5. The Green and NDP MPs who face a challenging situation because they do not have party status have opposed it. Even one Liberal MP called out the unfairness of the process. What is different is that in 1990, despite all the pressures, the Manitoba legislature followed its own procedures based on hundreds of years of parliamentary democracy and did not ram through the Meech Lake Accord. The actions of not only Elijah Harper, but so many other Indigenous people forced Canada to recognize the need to respect Indigenous rights. In many ways, it was a major first step towards what in subsequent years has been reconciliation. What has been happening with Bill C-5 in 2025 couldn't be more different. There has been a blatant disregard for the process you would expect for a bill of this significance. The hasty introduction and closure being attached to Bill C-5 fly in the face of the consultation you would normally expect on any bill, let alone the constitutionally required consultation on matters involving Indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples have been clear in opposing both the process and substance of the bill. Many people have been calling out what is seen as a betrayal of reconciliation. We learned a major lesson in 1990. That Indigenous peoples will defend their rights. That reconciliation starts with not only recognizing Canada's history of genocide against Indigenous peoples but that provincial and federal governments must recognize the limits of their own powers in the context of Indigenous rights. But as Santayana said 'Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it ' Sadly, in 2025, key political leaders have chosen not to remember these lessons of history and are repeating Canada's failure to recognize Indigenous rights. There is one more lesson too. We also learned that the 'crisis' of 1990 was greatly exaggerated. Despite subsequent efforts with the failed Charlottetown accord, the constitutional question was never finally closed. But Canada continues. The so-called crisis we are facing currently will go the same way. What will matter is not just how we react to Donald Trump or any other political leader or economic threat. In terms of history, it is how much we will have acted in accordance with our own values based on our own distinct history. The events of 1990 set us on a better course. The events of 2025 with Bill C-5 threaten to set us back dramatically. Steve Ashton is a former member of the Manitoba Legislature. He was the NDP House Leader during the debate on the Meech Lake Accord in the Manitoba Legislature in 1990. Niki Ashton is the former NDP MP for Churchill-Keewatinook Aski
CTV News
21-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
CTV National News: Charting the plan for a return to Parliament
Watch The economy will be a priority for Mark Carney as he and his cabinet retreat to Meech Lake to discuss the return to Parliament. Mike Le Couteur has more.
NDTV
21-04-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
When Canada's Conservative Party Went From A Majority To Just 2 Seats
Ottawa, Canada: Canada's political script took a dramatic turn in early 2025, pushing the nation towards an unexpected snap election in April - months ahead of the scheduled October timeline. The catalyst was the resignation of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in January, setting the stage for an all-new electoral landscape. In his place rose Mark Carney - former central banker turned Prime Minister - now tasked with rallying a divided Liberal base and defending Canada's global standing. Across the aisle stands Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader who has spent the last few years galvanising support with promises of tax cuts, tougher borders, and a fresh economic agenda. This political shift is drawing comparison to another moment of dramatic upheaval - the 1993 federal election, known for one of the most devastating defeats in the history of modern democracies. Known as the Conservative Party of Canada today, the political outfit came into being after the merger of the two main right-leaning parties, the Progressive Conservative Party (PC Party) and the Canadian Alliance in 2003. Back in 1993, the ruling Progressive Conservative Party, led by Kim Campbell - the first and only female prime minister of Canada - suffered an astonishing collapse. From a commanding 156 seats, the party was reduced to just two. The wipeout didn't just end a government; it dismantled a party and fractured conservative politics for years. What Went Wrong In 1993? Several factors played into it. First, Campbell had only recently taken over from Brian Mulroney, whose government had grown deeply unpopular due to economic downturns, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and failed constitutional reforms like the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords. Though Campbell was personally well-liked and seen as a fresh face, the electorate was unforgiving. Second, the conservative vote split sharply. The newly formed Reform Party (1987), led by Preston Manning, surged in the West, while the Bloc Quebecois - born out of Quebec's nationalist movement - dominated the province. That left the Progressive Conservatives squeezed from both sides, with no regional stronghold to fall back on. Third, the Liberals, led by Jean Chretien, capitalised on the unrest, promising jobs, growth, and a break from Mulroney-era fatigue. Their message resonated across the country, earning them 177 seats and a decisive majority, reducing the Conservative Party to just two seats. 20th Prime Minister Of Canada Jean Chretien became Prime Minister of Canada after the 1993 federal election. He led the Liberal Party to a massive majority victory, winning 177 of the 295 seats in the House of Commons. Chretien was officially sworn in as Prime Minister on November 4, 1993, succeeding Kim Campbell of the Progressive Conservatives. Chretien would go on to serve as Prime Minister for a decade - from 1993 to 2003 - making him one of Canada's longest-serving leaders.
