Carney’s one-day meeting with chiefs too little, too late

Opinion

First Nations chiefs and leaders will convene for a one-day meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, several key ministers, and bureaucrats on Thursday to discuss the controversial One Canadian Economy Act.

The meeting will take place at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., but it will be about the future of the country.

It’s the first of three “summits” between the federal government and chiefs — rights holders when it comes to the use of land and water in Canada. Meetings with Inuit and Métis leaders have been promised for later this summer.

The One Canadian Economy Act passed June 26 after sailing through Parliament over 20 days with little debate or amendments. There was no consultation with Indigenous peoples, who have a legal and constitutional right to consent to any Canadian law that affects Indigenous rights.

Sen. Paul Prosper, a Mi’kmaq leader and former chief, tried to amend the bill to include language that would demand adherence to Indigenous rights. While he obtained the support of 28 of 105 senators, that amendment was voted down.

There is perhaps no law that would affect Indigenous rights more than this one, which centralizes control of the approval of development and resource projects deemed “of national interest” by the federal government.

The One Canadian Economy Act allows for selected projects to be passed by cabinet without parliamentary discussion and without meeting the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and other environmental regulations.

While Indigenous rights are mentioned in the law, the legal and constitutional requirement for Indigenous rights to be considered and protected alongside the “free, prior, and informed consent” of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people is vague and uses weak language – leading to a lot of uncertainty about how the law will be implemented.

Next week’s meeting is supposed to provide the prime minister and his ministers an opportunity to alleviate the concerns of First Nations.

Wait till they find out it takes a day just for 600-plus chiefs to introduce themselves.

In other words, not much will be accomplished by a one-day meeting that tries to deal with a century-old problem.

If there is one thing certain about the first four months of the Carney government, it is that he is repeating some alarming trends when it comes to Indigenous peoples and rights.

Namely, Canada has historically tried to operate without Indigenous involvement; this cycle is rearing it’s ugly head again.

While hosting three First Nations leaders in his cabinet and expressing frequently that he respects Indigenous rights and peoples, an increasing number of leaders say they feel alienated, excluded, and left behind — and not just due to the new law.

Take, for example, the fact that it has already passed — with First Nations leaders invited after the fact to hear about how they can be involved (read: co-own) in projects in the “national interest” — which the government has said will involve mines and pipelines and NOT what First Nations actually need for economic survival: schools, adequate roads, decent housing, and clean drinking water (just to name a few things).

There are more insulting features about the July 17 meeting, including the late release of details (shared July 10), chiefs must only come alone, and are encouraged to submit questions “beforehand.”

Some chiefs weren’t invited while others are too busy dealing with emergencies like wildfires. A few announced they wouldn’t attend.

Chief Wifred King of the Gull Bay First Nation in Ontario told APTN: “ A one-day meeting with potentially 600 chiefs — I don’t know how that’s going to go. And in addition to that, if it’s going to be an invitation by Zoom as well it will be pretty chaotic for First Nations to get their voices heard. I just think it’s going to be a waste of time.”

There are other issues, including Carney’s attention to dealing with the pressing economic and political threats of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Indigenous peoples, virtually across the board, have understood the country is facing an unprecedented time. In fact, one is hard-pressed to imagine a time when Indigenous communities were more proud of Canadian sovereignty, independence, and even the flag.

Indigenous leaders have been less on board for the Carney government’s reactions to Trump’s threats.

Take, for example, Carney’s vow to drastically cut the public service — which will result in a $5-billion cut to Indigenous Services Canada, an underserviced and under-delivering department.

The problem Carney has is that fighting Trump is one thing, while governing is another.

It’s something the prime minister will need to show to the most important and first rights holders who hold the key to unlocking projects in the “national interest” on July 17.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca