logo
Bills 5, C-5 are 'far from honourable,' says First Nations chief in emotional speech

Bills 5, C-5 are 'far from honourable,' says First Nations chief in emotional speech

CBC16-07-2025
Fighting through tears, Chief June Black of Apitipi Anicinapek Nation spoke at Queen's Park following news that nine Ontario First Nations will be challenging a pair of federal and provincial laws. Black says Bill C-5 and Bill 5 show that "the Crown has no interest in reconciliation.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

LeBlanc ‘encouraged' after latest U.S. talks as Trump tariff deadline looms
LeBlanc ‘encouraged' after latest U.S. talks as Trump tariff deadline looms

Global News

time4 hours ago

  • Global News

LeBlanc ‘encouraged' after latest U.S. talks as Trump tariff deadline looms

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Thursday he's feeling 'encouraged' after meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and American lawmakers in Washington ahead of next week's tariff deadline. But LeBlanc also suggested that a new economic and security arrangement with the United States may not materialize in time for U.S. President Donald Trump's latest deadline of Aug. 1. 'Canadians expect us to take the time necessary to get the best deal we can in the interest of Canadian workers,' LeBlanc said outside the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington. 'So we are only going to be in a position to accept a deal when the prime minister decides that it is the best deal we can get in the interest of Canadian workers and the Canadian economy.' Trump has sent letters to multiple nations, including Canada, saying that if no deal is made by Aug. 1, he will impose high tariffs on imports to the United States. Story continues below advertisement While Trump's letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney threatened Canada with 35 per cent tariffs, the White House has said the levies will not be applied to imports that comply with the Canada-U.S-Mexico Agreement on trade. Canada is also being hit with Trump's tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles, and will be affected by copper duties that are also expected to kick in on Aug. 1. 5:23 WA state senator says Trump doesn't understand effects of trade war The Trump administration has announced only a handful of trade deal frameworks with other nations since the president first threatened his so-called 'Liberation Day' tariffs in April. Trump this week said his administration made deals with Japan and the Philippines, adding to previous agreements with Indonesia, Vietnam and the United Kingdom. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy While many details of the frameworks remain vague, all of them include some level of tariff – and it's not clear whether they would shield countries from Trump's plan to impose further sectoral duties on things like semiconductors and lumber. Story continues below advertisement LeBlanc said 'complex negotiations' are continuing between Canada and the United States and he will be returning to Washington next week. He described his meeting with Lutnick as productive and cordial. LeBlanc, who was joined in the meetings by Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman, also had face time with Republican senators Kevin Cramer, Roger Marshall, Shelley Moore Capito, Todd Young and Tim Scott. LeBlanc said they discussed border security and defence issues and the American lawmakers shared a 'desire to see more stability and predictability in the relationship with the United States.' 'My conversations have focused on how we share so many priorities of President Trump's administration that we should be able to figure out together a deal that's in the best interest of Canadian workers, and obviously they are going to do their side of the table in terms of the American economy and American workers,' he said. 1:55 'Only the best deal for Canada': Carney on negotiating tariffs, trade with Trump Federal officials have remained tight-lipped about what Trump's team has said it wants from Canada. Story continues below advertisement After this week's trade deal frameworks were announced, Trump boasted on social media that he would only consider lowering tariff rates if countries open their markets to the United States. The president also said Japan would invest $550 billion in the U.S. at his 'direction.' Trump said Thursday that Japan 'bought it down basically,' referring to the lower tariff rate. 'I would let other countries buy it down,' he said. 2:05 'Largest trade deal in history': Trump finalizes US trade pact with Japan, cuts tariffs to 15% When Trump first threatened Canada with tariffs, he claimed it was due to the cross-border flow of deadly fentanyl. Ottawa responded with a boosted border plan and named a 'fentanyl czar.' Ottawa walked back its digital services tax last month after Trump threatened to halt all trade talks. Carney last week announced measures to stop China from dumping steel in Canada. Story continues below advertisement Hillman said those efforts help Canada in its ongoing negotiations. 'In our discussion with the American senators this week, the American administration, the measures that Canada has taken on steel in particular… are some of the strongest in the world,' she said. 'And that has been recognized and very much appreciated. So we are making some positive progress.' Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined a bipartisan group of American lawmakers in Ottawa last week. The Republican said Thursday that 'we would all like to get to a better place with our trade relationship with Canada' but suggested it's not likely to happen before Aug. 1. Canada cannot be treated 'as yet one more country that we need to reconcile tariffs on' because of shared economic and national security issues, she said. 'I wish that I could say, 'It feels good,' that this is all going to be taken care of before the first of August, but I'm not sensing that,' she said.

Carney talking major projects with Inuit leaders in Inuvik
Carney talking major projects with Inuit leaders in Inuvik

National Observer

time4 hours ago

  • National Observer

Carney talking major projects with Inuit leaders in Inuvik

An Inuit leader who met Thursday with Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss the federal government's controversial major projects legislation says he has been assured the bill respects treaty rights. Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, told reporters in Inuvik, N.W.T., that leaders attending the meeting of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee with Carney have had a "fulsome conversation" about Bill C-5. "We've had reassurances that the bill … will not interrupt the processes under our modern treaties and that there will be full partnership of Inuit within these processes," he said. Carney spent much of Thursday meeting with Inuit leaders to discuss the legislation, also known as the One Canadian Economy Act. Ahead of the meeting, Inuit leaders said they had a lot to work through with the federal government. During an afternoon break in the meeting, Obed said Carney was unequivocal in saying the legislation would not violate modern treaties. "When it comes to project reviews, the focus has been on what types of nation-building projects are Inuit interested in building, how can we identify those projects together, and then, how can we make good on those projects by implementing them," he said. Inuit leaders said they've received reassurances that the bill will not interrupt the processes under their modern treaties with Canada, and that their people will be invited to participate in full partnership with Carney's government. "So the prime minister and his cabinet ministers couldn't have been any clearer in their assurances to Inuit leadership about the upholding of the constitutionally protected agreements that we have with the Crown." The recently passed One Canadian Economy Act gives Ottawa the power to fast-track projects it considers to be in the national interest by sidestepping environmental protections and other legislation. Some Indigenous leaders have accused the federal government of failing to consult with them adequately when the legislation was being drafted and amended. Obed previously criticized the federal government over the legislation and told senators studying it last month that Ottawa has been hypocritical in its approach to reconciliation. He said at the time the legislation doesn't respect Indigenous Peoples' rights and warned that fast-tracked projects could end up before the courts. One court challenge has already been launched by First Nations asking a judge to find the legislation unconstitutional. Carney promised the day the bill was passed to hold talks with First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders to get input on how projects can proceed. After Carney met with First Nations leaders in Ottawa last week, some chiefs said they were left with more questions than answers and no clear idea of how the government plans to implement its agenda. In his opening remarks Thursday, Carney said there's much work to be done on closing infrastructure gaps and improving social services in the Arctic, and warned that the region's security is under threat. He also insisted that Bill C-5 "fully respects" treaty rights. "It fully respects treaty-based environmental assessment processes," said Carney. "In fact, those will be essential for anything that we move forward. "What the act does is it creates conditions for the federal government to be more effective and efficient in our part of the partnership." Several cabinet ministers, including Northern Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand and Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty, also attended Thursday's meeting. — With files from Alessia Passafiume and Dylan Robertson in Ottawa.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store