The federal government has requested that First Nations chiefs submit their questions prior to meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss approvals for major projects.
The recently passed Bill C-5, also known as the One Canadian Economy Act, allows the government to support the development of major projects deemed to be in national interest, such as pipelines, ports, and railways. Ottawa can allow some projects to bypass some provisions of certain laws, and aims to reduce the approval times for projects to two years.
Following the bill’s passage in Parliament in late June, the government said it would immediately hold consultations with the provinces, territories, and indigenous groups around the projects. Carney has said he plans to hold meetings with First Nations on July 17 in Ottawa, followed by meetings with Inuit leadership later in July, and with Métis leadership soon after….