From left, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, Chief Abram Benedict, and Chief Francis Verreault-Paul listen as delegates speak at the AFN’s national assembly in Winnipeg on Wednesday.JOHN WOODS/The Canadian Press
Several Indigenous leaders from Alberta are warning the Assembly of First Nations not to step on individual First Nations’ authority, treaty rights and jurisdiction to determine the outcome of national infrastructure projects.
In a letter dated Tuesday and addressed to chiefs attending the AFN’s national assembly, the Alberta chiefs say resolutions proposed by some of their colleagues present “significant risks” to their jurisdiction.
The letter is signed by Okimaw Henry Lewis of Onion Lake Cree Nation, Chief Sheldon Sunshine of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Chief Phyllis Whitford of O’Chiese First Nation, and Chief Billy Tuccaro of Mikisew Cree First Nation.
“We must be clear: AFN has no inherent or delegated political authority from our Nations; AFN is not a rights holder, it is a corporation, and it does not hold the mandate to interpret, implement, or represent our Treaties,” the letter stated.
The chiefs are meeting amid warnings from the AFN to the federal government to ensure that fast-tracked infrastructure projects do not go ahead without the consultation of the individual First Nations that would be affected by the projects.
Discussion of major projects law expected to dominate AFN gathering
The Building Canada Act, part of the federal government’s Bill C-5, allows the federal cabinet to designate projects to be in the national interest, exempting the projects from various laws to fast-track the approval process.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has argued Bill C-5 is needed to strengthen Canada’s economy in the face of trade threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mr. Carney met with Indigenous leaders during the summer to discuss how the legislation, which passed in June, would be implemented.
But those meetings have not allayed the AFN’s concerns and it restated its opposition to the law on Wednesday.
The National Chief of the AFN delivered a stern warning to the federal government at a chiefs assembly in Winnipeg that Canada’s future economic growth is dependent on First Nations support.
In her address to more than 300 chiefs, National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said they’re a part of a shift happening in the country where more Canadians are recognizing that “Canada’s economy will not achieve its full potential until we also have a strong First Nations economy.”
“That will not advance without First Nations support. They know it,” she said about federal and provincial governments that have introduced legislation like Bill C-5 without properly consulting with First Nations.
“Never again should rights holders be shut out of Parliament like what happened for Bill C-5,” the National Chief said.
Some First Nations leaders in early talks about potential Indigenous-led economic corridor
Several resolutions directly related to Bill C-5 are up for debate at the meeting, as well as one dealing with the AFN’s governance.
That proposed change is to the AFN’s charter to separate the organization’s political and corporate functions. The resolution was the only one to be presented on Wednesday afternoon and was defeated by the majority of chiefs.
In a group text message to The Globe, the Alberta chiefs said they were happy to see people paying attention to the AFN’s proposed changes and they’re hopeful the other resolutions they have objected to will also be defeated.
One resolution calls on the government to designate closing the First Nations infrastructure deficit as a nation-building project. Ms. Woodhouse Nepinak said she expects it to pass.
Closing the deficit would require major repairs and the construction of infrastructure such as schools, roads, and health-care facilities. The AFN estimates $349.2-billion is needed to close it by 2030, and has repeatedly called on the government to address it.
The Alberta chiefs said they have consistently opposed the AFN’s “third-party interference.”
“These resolutions, if passed, risk creating precedents where AFN assumes roles it was never intended to hold, weakening our collective Treaty position,” the letter to the chief said.
But other chiefs expressed solidarity with the AFN in their opposition to Bill C-5.
Chief Archie Wabasse of Wunnumin Lake First Nation told The Globe and Mail that he has zero confidence the Crown will uphold its obligations to honour First Nations rights.
“What happens is the Prime Minister and the cabinet empower themselves to develop policies, to develop implementation of how they see these national interest projects happen in Canada with limited feedback from our First Nations, because they have already planned what they want to do,” Mr. Wabasse said.
The leader from remote Northern Ontario said First Nations have to be 100-per-cent involved in any projects of national interest instead of being poorly consulted or notified.
“I think in terms of control, we don’t have that. We don’t have control.”
With a report from Emily Haws