First Nations arrive with some optimism — but mostly skepticism — as Carney's C-5 summit begins
CBC
First Nations leaders from across Canada expressed some optimism but mostly skepticism and some cynicism on Wednesday as they arrived in Gatineau, Que., for a summit called to allay their concerns over the Liberal government's major projects legislation.
The meeting offers Prime Minister Mark Carney a chance to right what's been a rough start for his government's relations with First Nations, with the head of the Assembly of First Nations calling the meeting "a critical point in our nation-to-nation relationship."
As Brent Niganobe, chief of Mississauga First Nation in northern Ontario, walked out of a closed-door afternoon session with government officials at the Canadian Museum of History, he offered what has become a familiar complaint.
"This is not consultation," said Niganobe.
"They really had us prepare questions ahead of time; the questions only had so many characters that we could fill in."
The summit is the first of three Carney is holding with Indigenous leaders to try and allay their concern with Bill C-5, in particular the part that empowers cabinet to fast-track major projects deemed to be in the national interest.
Chiefs are concerned about the impact on their rights, and nine First Nations launched a constitutional challenge against the legislation on Tuesday.
Niganobe said it feels like First Nations were "an afterthought" after the bill was passed. His concern highlights the risk that with more than 600 chiefs invited to the summit, many may leave feeling unheard.
Manitoba chiefs echoed the sentiment at a news conference outside the meeting Wednesday afternoon, just before things began.
"This is not reconciliation. This is exploitation," said Chief Angela Levasseur of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation.
"We want what was promised, we want what's owed, and we want a fair share of the wealth taken from our territories."
The government has described this as the beginning, not the end, of its consultation with First Nations on C-5.
Last month, in a speech to the Toronto Region Board of Trade, Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said the goal of this week's summit "is to create certainty that catalyzes investment."
Such talk has some chiefs going into the meeting wondering whether the government wants to engage in good faith or whether the summit is a box-ticking exercise.
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