Anishinabek Nation chief says he briefed OPP on protests against fast-track bills
OTTAWA - A regional chief for Anishinabek Nation says he briefed Ontario Provincial Police Thursday on what to expect when First Nations take to the streets to protest provincial and federal legislation aimed at fast-tracking major projects.
Scott McLeod said he was invited by an Indigenous relations coordinator to brief officers at the OPP's Orillia headquarters on why First Nations oppose the legislation and why they see the bills as a violation of treaties with the Crown.
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Toronto Star
15 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Anishinabek Nation chief says he briefed OPP on protests against fast-track bills
OTTAWA - A regional chief for Anishinabek Nation says he briefed Ontario Provincial Police Thursday on what to expect when First Nations take to the streets to protest provincial and federal legislation aimed at fast-tracking major projects. Scott McLeod said he was invited by an Indigenous relations coordinator to brief officers at the OPP's Orillia headquarters on why First Nations oppose the legislation and why they see the bills as a violation of treaties with the Crown.
Vancouver Sun
16 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
What does the creation of OneBC mean for the province's political scene?
When the legislature resumes in October, it will have four political parties, after the formation of OneBC this week by independent MLAs Dallas Brodie of Vancouver-Quilchena and Tara Armstrong of Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. Brodie was ejected from the B.C. Conservatives in March for comments about the Kamloops Indian Residential School that many First Nations called residential school denialism and an appearance on a podcast with former Mount Royal professor Frances Widdowson where she made comments that Conservative Leader John Rustad said mocked residential school survivors. Armstrong and Jordan Kealy, MLA for Peace River North, left the Conservatives in solidarity with Brodie and in the months since the three have formed an alliance on issues such as defending an ostrich farm in the B.C. interior that has been marked for a cull due to avian flu. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. OneBC was officially registered with Elections B.C. on June 9 and will grant Brodie and Armstrong additional funding and privileges in the legislature. In a press release on Thursday, the party outlined several policy planks from ending 'mass immigration' to defunding 'the reconciliation industry.' Other promises include pushing for a ban on strikes by teachers, allowing private health-care, and steep cuts to income taxes. Questioned about these policies by Postmedia on Friday, Brodie said the goal is to deliver on the goals that initially ignited the Conservative base. She said B.C. needs to get control over immigration in the same way as Quebec and allow for people to pay for health-care here instead of waiting for months and months, a change she believes would also reduce the burden on the public system. As for the 'reconciliation industry,' Brodie alleged that money meant to help First Nations children get ahead has instead been siphoned off to an army of lawyers, consultants and some chiefs and councils. 'What's happened is the money isn't getting down to the people who need it,' said Brodie. OneBC will not get funding through Elections B.C. as it was not a registered party during the last election. Where it will get money is through the legislature, with each party of at least two members considered a recognized caucus as soon as they have notified the office of the Speaker. Under this designation, the party will receive $108,471 per MLA for a total of $216,942. It will also receive $442,000 for Brodie's office as leader. Brodie herself will receive a top-up of $29,883.19 to her base salary of $119,532.72, meaning she will receive a total of just under $150,000, the same as Green interim leader Jeremy Valeriote. Yes. Historically the practice has been to give each party at least one question during question period, which takes place each day the legislature sits for a period of half an hour, with the Conservatives being given a question and a followup every question period after becoming an officially recognized party in September 2023. Likewise, the Greens as the official third party in the legislature receive one question and one followup during each question period. Previously the three independents got one question between them each week. Speaking to Postmedia on Friday, Kealy said he doesn't align with Armstrong and Brodie on all of their policies, although he wouldn't say which ones he disagrees with, and believes continuing on as an independent MLA is the best way for him to represent his riding of Peace River North. He isn't closing the door on joining either OneBC or another political party but for now considers himself a 'lone wolf.' 'One of the primary issues that we're having in the North here is our health-care system that is falling to pieces, and we struggle to get staff and professionals for our health care system right now,' said Kealy. 'My region's also been on fire for the past three years, and the current government seems to not really prioritize putting those fires out when they can. So there's a lot of issues that are pressing for my region that are different than others.' Four. The last time there were this many parties was last August just before B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon's decision to drop his party out of the provincial election in an effort to consolidate support behind the B.C. Conservatives. That consolidation of the centre-right and right-wing vote only lasted for seven months before Brodie, Armstrong and Kealy left the Conservatives to sit as independents. 'John Rustad has to deal with the problems that Kevin Falcon had to deal with before, and although in the short-term, Rustad, I think, might have a little bit more success than Falcon did, because this new party is so far to the right. And, in the short term, I think that's going to make John Rustad and the B.C. Conservatives look more moderate,' said Hamish Telford, a University of the Fraser Valley political scientist. There hasn't been this much upheaval in B.C. provincial politics since the early 1990s when a series of short-lived parties formed out of the collapse of Social Credit before the B.C. Liberals under former premier Gordon Campbell were able to consolidate their free-enterprise coalition in the lead-up to the 2001 election.
Global News
16 hours ago
- Global News
Danielle Smith pitches B.C. on pipeline project, saying it benefits ‘all Canadians'
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is making a pipeline pitch directly to British Columbians. Smith told Global News that Canada needs to take advantage of this moment of national unity to respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats. 'When you look at the potential for a million barrels a day at today's prices, that's about 20 billion dollars worth of value,' Smith told Focus BC. 'It doesn't just go to Alberta, it benefits all Canadians.' Smith is leaning on the Team Canada approach but does acknowledge that there still need to be work to address Indigenous concerns. 'We hear the environmental concerns and that is why it is good to have Indigenous partners so we can reroute the route, and deal with issues on the ground,' she said. Story continues below advertisement 'I know a few things need to be modified, but we can get to yes.' 2:01 Pipeline dream: Alberta premier makes pitch at Global Energy Show There is still no proponent for the pipeline project but the previous iteration of a pipeline to the coast destroyed the relationship with then Alberta Premier Alison Redford and then B.C. Premier Christy Clark. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Smith said the difference this time is the vision to export the material out of Prince Rupert, rather than Kitimat, where navigating tankers is harder. 'Let's go to a port that is already shipping goods, that is ice-free year-round,' she added. B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix says the province is opposed to the new pipeline and instead, Alberta should focus on building out the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion, which already cost taxpayers more than $34 billion. Story continues below advertisement 'We still need to get some work to get value for that pipeline,' Dix said. 'We have been supportive of that now that taxpayers have paid for it. The idea that taxpayers would subsidize a project that has no proponent makes no sense to us.' Watch the full interview with Smith above.
