In the tariff war, is Canada forgetting about Indigenous nations?
In this melee, Indigenous nations, and our rights and interests, are not discussed — we remain marginalized. Our rights attract attention only when political elites and indeed, most Canadians, think the political agenda is relaxed enough to tolerate it, or there is something to gain through our inclusion.
Indigenous Peoples' rights have a legal basis and some Constitutional recognition domestically, and more robust recognition in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the gold standard for these rights. Any national policy that ignores these realities will be expensive and vulnerable to litigation and civil society opposition, as evidenced by the pipeline fights in BC and the fishing wars in Mi'kmaw territory. Further, Ontario's 'Ring of Fire' region, invoked by some politicians as an immediate source of state-approved projects for its untapped mineral wealth, is on unceded Treaty 9 Indigenous territory.
Ignoring Indigenous nations and rights, as Canada enters a new economic chapter, would shred Canada's reputation, much as ignoring the Canada-USA-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) shreds America's. Ignoring us is contrary to the last decade of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation work and is a serious risk to both the legitimacy of political elites and the profitability of Canadian industries.
Regulatory streamlining anticipated for pre-approved or quickly approved projects benefiting corporate stakeholders with government approvals for pipelines, mines and such, runs right through Indigenous lands, waters and rights. This is true despite the involvement in some projects of a few Indigenous communities or capitalists.
Cutting 'red tape' and eliminating regulatory barriers, proposed by a number of politicians and corporate actors, facilitates the fast-forward, consequence-free kinds of approaches beloved by investment capitalists and the governments that service them. However, one critic's 'red tape' is another's regulatory regime ensuring transparency, accountability and compliance with safety codes, environmental standards, and fundamental human rights. Indigenous rights require state recognition and regulatory support.
Moreover, Canadians face another existential crisis unrelated to US President Donald Trump's reckless trade war: the breakdown of our climate and natural environment collapse as a direct result of political, corporate and consumer activity. That catastrophe looms at least as large as present economic threats. Indigenous rights and priorities are linked to climate and environmental matters in profoundly important ways. Most of us come from cultures that privilege relationships with everything in our territorial environments. Maintaining these relationships is a primary obligation.
Ignoring Indigenous Peoples' rights is contrary to Canada's Truth and Reconciliation work and is a serious risk to the legitimacy of political elites and the profitability of Canadian industries, write Joyce Green and Christine Sy
While sharing our fellow citizens' fears about the Trump-induced economic perils, we have fears too, about the trampling of Indigenous rights and interests, seen as impediments to the prime directive of protecting economic growth and the jobs it sustains. We are not entirely hostile to these priorities, but surely, we can expect the elite political class to walk and chew gum at the same time.
Canadian governments and citizens must focus on the very serious threats to the state's sovereignty and economic order, while still advancing its ethical relations with Indigenous nations, protecting Indigenous rights and enacting legislation to meet the challenges of the imminent and evident threat of more catastrophic climate change and environmental collapse.
Given the erasure of Indigenous nations in public discourse about Canada's future, we wonder if a next iteration of the Idle No More movement is needed to bring these matters into the public eye and get them on the political agenda?
Canada wishes to defend its sovereignty in the face of threatening rhetoric from the Trump administration, but it cannot simultaneously ignore the sovereignty of the many Indigenous nations with whom it is in relationship. The colonial rampage has never stopped for us, even if the language framing it has changed. We are still trying to recover from colonialism in a context where it is still unfolding. Some of us are still seeking either negotiation or implementation of treaties. Many treaties that exist are coerced agreements created in contexts manipulated to cause duress, somewhat like the mystifying, ever-changing shifts in trade relationships instigated by the US that Canada faces now.
Indeed, Canadians are about to empathize much more personally with the politics of imperialism, the disparity of power relations, and the implications of being subjected to external dominance and exploitation. Might this lend itself to an appreciation of what Indigenous Peoples have and continue to endure?
With American imperialism at the door, will Canada reflect on its relationships with Indigenous nations, and recognize that its honour is only as good as its commitment to reconciling its relationship with the Indigenous nations upon whose lands it calls home?
Joyce Green is professor emerita of political science at the University of Regina. Her research interests focus on Aboriginal-settler relations and the possibility of decolonization in Canada.
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National Observer
an hour ago
- National Observer
Why National Defence's Indigenous procurement goal remains out of reach
The Department of National Defence is far behind its Indigenous procurement target — a result industry insiders say has little to do with a lack of Indigenous suppliers and more with systemic barriers ingrained within the procurement system itself. The department manages billions of dollars in contracts, but reported Indigenous procurement at just 2.5 per cent for the 2023-24 fiscal year, falling far short of the government's five per cent target due to complex certification requirements, lengthy security clearances and demanding bid processes, Indigenous leaders and procurement experts said. 'Indigenous businesses are ready, willing, and able to supply defence projects — which are often located on or near their territories,' said Shannin Metatawabin, CEO of National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA) in a press release. 'But the bidding process is still complex and unfamiliar, and those essential relationships with the sector still need to be built.' Canada's defence budget is at its highest since World War II, with over $9 billion in new spending planned for 2025-26 — putting total defence spending at over $62 billion and meeting NATO's 2 per cent of GDP target. This increase is intended to modernize the Canadian Armed Forces, boost high-tech Arctic surveillance, strengthen international alliances and fuel defence industry growth. But Mark Dokis, senior advisor at the NACCA and chair of the First Nations Procurement Authority, said these roadblocks not only drag out economic reconciliation but also weaken the reliability of Canada's supply chain when it matters most. He pointed out that National Defence sought an exemption from ammunition procurement targets, believing no local suppliers existed. But after some research, a business was identified that could supply the needed ammunition. 'It just comes down to doing basic homework and having better connections with the Indigenous communities and organizations that can advise departments about where capacity or skills exist,' Dokis said. Indigenous businesses are "ready, willing, and able to supply defence projects," but the complexity and unfamiliarity of the bidding process makes it inaccessible to many, an expert says. Philip Ducharme, vice-president of procurement and entrepreneurship at the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business said the complexity of federal procurement is a major barrier. Requests for proposals (RFPs) demand extensive documentation regardless of contract size. 'Responding to an RFP that's worth $50,000 takes as much work as responding to a $5 million contract, almost,' he said. Small Indigenous firms often lack the staff and resources to meet these requirements. Security clearance delays add to these challenges with some companies waiting months just to become eligible to bid on certain government contracts, he said. In an email to Canada's National Observer, a National Defence spokesperson stated it is trying several strategies to improve Indigenous participation: unbundling large contracts to allow smaller bids, encouraging partnerships with established defence contractors and offering training programs. 'We remain committed to engaging with Indigenous businesses,' the spokesperson said. Directory falls short Ducharme said part of the problem lies in the government's reliance on the Indigenous Business Directory. 'When they say that they can't find Indigenous businesses, it's because they're looking at that directory, and that's only a minute number of the Indigenous businesses in Canada,' Ducharme said. To be counted, companies must register in the directory — a process some find questionable, leading many Indigenous businesses to remain unlisted. Dokis said many Indigenous businesses avoid registration because the directory is managed by Indigenous Services Canada, a department often viewed as paternalistic. 'Indigenous businesses and communities are not great friends of Indigenous Services Canada,' Dokis said. He said that the directory initially relied largely on self-identification, allowing some companies to falsely claim Indigenous status, often through joint ventures that offer only nominal Indigenous involvement. In their email, the National Defence spokesperson stated that the department supports joint ventures between Indigenous and non-Indigenous companies. To qualify, a joint venture must be at least 51 per cent owned and managed by Indigenous entities, with Indigenous firms carrying out at least 33 per cent of the contract's total work value. 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He said many federal contracts are bundled into large projects, which makes it impossible for Indigenous businesses to bid — even if they could deliver specific components better than anyone else. 'Sometimes a $5 million environmental assessment contract includes 1,000 hours of engagement work. We can do that engagement work better than anyone, but can't take on the whole contract because our team isn't big enough,' he said. In a press release, Kyra Wilson, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said the government's failure to meet procurement targets across departments reflects a lack of political will, not Indigenous capacity. 'Failing to meet its own procurement target undermines any credibility the federal government claims on its Nation Building agenda,' Wilson said. She called for binding legislation to enshrine Indigenous procurement targets into law and guaranteed set-aside contracts for First Nations-owned businesses, especially in Manitoba, where Bill C-5 is expected to drive major infrastructure and energy projects. 'If the federal government can't even meet a 5% procurement target — a very low bar — it exposes how little has changed beneath the rhetoric of reconciliation,' Wilson said. Dokis said Indigenous businesses often feel excluded from early project planning and experience last-minute changes that complicate bidding. 'They're not engaging early enough with the Indigenous communities or organizations that can help them out with regards to these major projects. We only become informed of these things when a plan is already almost done and ready to be implemented,' Dokis said. Lasting progress will require Indigenous-led certification processes, culturally relevant training, simpler and scalable procurement requirements and genuine government partnerships that include Indigenous businesses from the start, he said. Bonding and insurance remain major barriers for Indigenous businesses trying to win federal contracts and the programs designed to guarantee contract completion are often out of reach. Under the Indian Act, particularly section 89, many Indigenous-owned businesses cannot use their assets as collateral, which commercial bond providers typically require. This makes it hard to qualify for bonding, even on small contracts. 'Sometimes bonding is asked for when bonding is not required,' Dokis said. Dokis said federal departments often request bonds by default, instead of basing requirements on the size or risk of the contract. For smaller contracts, he said, "the request for bonds can be a cost that is not necessary" and only makes it harder for Indigenous companies to bid. Slow government payments also cause cash flow problems for Indigenous businesses, leaving some unable to pay staff or suppliers while they wait for reimbursement. Ducharme said improved public reporting and better access to procurement data are positive steps that help track contract awards. 'Now we can analyze who's getting contracts and where improvements are needed.' Data for 2024-25 is currently under review and analysis. Given the large volume of data, approximately 140,000 contracts, National Defence said they are currently unable to provide a projected result. Indigenous industry experts and business owners see the five per cent Indigenous procurement target as only a starting point. 'It's a floor, not a ceiling. If we can get that up to 13 or 15 per cent, then it changes the reliance on federal government funding. We'll have our own money, our own jobs, our own economies. But as long as these barriers exist, I'm never going to be able to make that jump,' Jacobs said.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump's new tariffs give some countries a break, while shares and US dollar sink
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'20% from the beginning has not been our goal, we hope that in further negotiations we will get a more beneficial and more reasonable tax rate,' Lai told reporters in Taipei Friday. The U.S. is Taiwan's largest ally even though it does not formally recognize the island. 'We want to strengthen U.S. Taiwan cooperation in national security, tech, and multiple areas,' Lai said. For some trading partners, relief that tariffs are lower than they might be Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, who led his nation's trade talks with the United States, thanked Trump for setting the tariff rate on Cambodian goods at 19% and said his country will impose zero tariffs on American goods. The rate for Cambodia that Trump proposed in April was 49%, one of the highest in the world. He said the U.S. estimated average Cambodian tariffs on U.S. exports at 97%. Cambodia has agreed to up purchases of U.S. goods. Sun said it would purchase 10 passenger aircraft from Boeing in a deal they hoped to sign later this month. Several other nations had already announced similar aircraft purchase deals as part of their trade packages. Trump had threatened to withhold trade deals from Cambodia and Thailand if they didn't end an armed conflict over border territory. The two nations agreed on a ceasefire that began Tuesday. Thailand also is subject to a 19% tariff, a rate that its Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said 'reflects the strong friendship and close partnership between Thailand and the United States.' That was down from 36% proposed earlier. 'The outcome of this negotiation signals that Thailand must accelerate its adaptation and move forward in building a stable and resilient economy, ready to face global challenges ahead,' he said. For Bangladesh, a new 20% tariff warded off an earlier threat of a 35% import duty for the South Asian exporter of garments and other light manufactured goods. 'That's good news for our apparel sector and the millions who depend on it,' said Khalilur Rahman, the country's national security advisor and lead negotiator. 'We've also preserved our global competitiveness and opened up new opportunities to access the world's largest consumer market' Rahman said. 'Protecting our apparel industry was a top priority, but we also focused our purchase commitments on U.S. agricultural products. This supports our food security goals and fosters goodwill with U.S. farming states.' ___ AP journalists from around the world contributed to this report.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
In the news today: Canada hit with 35 per cent tariffs
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