‘You can't take shortcuts on treaty rights': Mulcair on looming Bill C-5 vote
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CTV News Political Commentator Tom Mulcair on what to expect after Prime Minister Carney returns to Parliament for the first time after the G7 summit.
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CBC
37 minutes ago
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Carney's push for 'nation-building' projects moves ahead despite some Indigenous opposition
Social Sharing Prime Minister Mark Carney promised during the election campaign to "build big, build bold" and the legislation that would enable federal fast-tracking of major projects appears poised to clear the House of Commons despite some Indigenous opposition. The legislation, Bill C-5, essentially gives cabinet the ability to pick certain projects to speed through the regulatory process, with an eye to projects that can deliver an economic boost to Canada, help strengthen the country's autonomy and resilience and, notably, "advance the interests of Indigenous peoples" and contribute to "clean growth." While the bill, the One Canadian Economy Act, is expected to pass the Commons this week with Conservative support, opposition MPs made a number of amendments to the legislation Wednesday night to, among other things, make the streamlined process more transparent by forcing Ottawa to publish the conditions of approval and limiting the government's ability to allow a project to bypass certain laws. Government House leader Mark MacKinnon said Thursday the cabinet will review the amendments quickly before deciding what it's willing to accept. WATCH | Carney says Indigenous rights are central to C-5: Carney says Indigenous rights are central to Bill C-5 2 hours ago Duration 2:01 Following pushback from Indigenous leaders on the government's bill to get major projects built, Prime Minister Carney emphasized that Indigenous consultation is central to the legislation. Speaking at a news conference in Ottawa on Thursday, Carney affirmed the government's commitment to 'embrace' Indigenous Peoples' right to free, prior, and informed consent under the Constitution. Canadians are tired of delays that have hurt economic growth and the government is determined to push ahead with the law, he said, which allows cabinet to exempt projects from provisions of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and the Impact Assessment Law in the name of expediency. Cabinet reviewing amendments A Conservative amendment, if adopted, means however projects must comply with other laws, like the Conflict of Interest Act and Lobbying Act. "Under the original Liberal proposal, projects could have been approved and built that would financially benefit members of the cabinet," the party said in a statement. The Conservatives are making changes to stop the government from "sneaking in provisions that would give themselves the power to broadly skirt the laws of the land without consequences," the party said. The government hasn't said what exactly would be fast-tracked under this legislation — and there are no specific projects mentioned in the bill itself — but Carney has signalled support for new energy "corridors" in the east and west, which could include pipelines and electricity grids, new and expanded port facilities, mines and other resource-related initiatives. WATCH | Grand chief wants Governor General to intervene: Speaking to reporters at an announcement Thursday about measures to protect the Canadian steel and aluminum industry, Carney said C-5 is "the core of our domestic response" to President Donald Trump's tariffs. The push to get "nation-building" projects built, many of which would require huge quantities of steel and aluminum during construction, will help hard-hit sectors weather the U.S. trade war, he said. "It's an important piece of legislation that has massive support among Canadians," MacKinnon said. "It was at the heart of our election campaign and election platform." While some Indigenous leaders are opposed, others are on side with the push to deliver more money and jobs to communities that stand to gain from development, MacKinnon said. "There are Indigenous communities, Indigenous nations that want to participate — they exist all over the country and they deserve to have their voices heard," MacKinnon said. Still, some Indigenous leaders are pushing back against giving the cabinet, or the minister they designate to shepherd a project through, so much power to choose major projects. The legislation itself states the government will recognize, affirm and "respect" Indigenous peoples' constitutional rights when considering a project. But there's a fear among some leaders that the consultation process with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities will be inadequate given Carney campaigned on making final decisions on projects within a two-year timeline. Right to be consulted The approvals process has been much longer than that in recent years with industry groups and critics saying endless consultations have bogged down getting things built, hurting the economy. Some Indigenous leaders, meanwhile, say they should be given a meaningful amount of time to offer opinions on a path forward. The Supreme Court has ruled Indigenous peoples have a right to be consulted on a potential project — but they do not have a final veto on whether something should go ahead. Carney promised Thursday to respect the government's legal obligations to Indigenous peoples — and make money available to communities that want to take an equity stake in proposed projects so any potential wealth can be shared. "Consultation, co-operation, engagement, participation is at the heart of C-5 and that is how you build a nation. And that's very much how we've designed it," Carney said. Despite those assurances, Indigenous leaders want more of a say over the bill itself, with clearer provisions that their rights won't be trampled as the government pushes to get things built fast during a trade war. WATCH | Senator says he'll introduce amendment to delay Bill C-5: Senator says he'll introduce amendment to delay Bill C-5 3 days ago Duration 1:14 Paul Prosper, a Mi'kmaw senator from Nova Scotia, is promising to "slow down the process" in the Red Chamber with an amendment to give Indigenous peoples more time to weigh in and make their pitches to change the bill. "If you don't do it right, we're looking at some potential litigation in the future. It's best to be proactive now," Prosper said. It's not clear if he will be successful. The Senate has already agreed to a "work plan" to get the legislation through the upper house before it rises for the summer recess. MacKinnon said the bill will be put to a final vote in the Senate next week. Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, who represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario, wants the Governor General to step in before giving the legislation royal assent — which is an unlikely and constitutionally dubious proposition.
National Post
44 minutes ago
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Climate activist douses pink paint on Picasso painting at Montreal museum
MONTREAL — A climate activist group says one of its supporters sprayed pink paint this morning on a Pablo Picasso painting at a Montreal museum. Article content Last Generation Canada says an activist smeared washable paint on the 1901 painting L'hetaire at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Article content Article content The group is calling for the Canadian government to create a climate disaster protection agency to help those affected by extreme weather. Article content Article content The museum says the painting was kept under protective glass and there were no immediate signs of damage to the painting itself, which is on loan from a gallery in Italy. Article content The activist group says it has also targeted the Montreal casino and the BMO Museum with pink paint in recent weeks. Article content Article content
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Murphy's Logic: Concerns of younger voters should be taken seriously
I'm a boomer. Moreover, I'm now a senior. Those are terms that I've never cared for but … demographic definitions I cannot deny. A deep dive into the data from the April 28 federal election reveals people in my cohort strongly supported the Liberals. More younger voters supported the Conservatives. That's pretty much the opposite to the way it used to be. It's worth looking at why. The simplest explanation may also prove to be the correct one. Older voters wanted less change than younger voters and Mark Carney's Liberals represented just the right amount of change. Not much; a different face on a familiar body of policy. By definition, it was the small 'c' conservative choice. Every vote counts and the Liberals got the most, the party's best popular vote since 1980 – so they're entitled to govern as they see fit. But even as Conservative support dips in recent polls, the Liberal government should spend considerable time reflecting on why so many others – 41 per cent of the electorate and a great many younger Canadians – voted for change and what it is they want to change. They have legitimate concerns and complaints. It's a long time since a person like me bought a first house and back then, people like me assumed it was only a matter of when we got a first house, not if we got one. Nor did many of us live in our parents' basements, or couch surf because we could afford nothing else. If we had student debts, they were relatively modest, and our jobs were usually full time and secure and came with pensions and benefits, which many of us took for granted. That's not the way it is for many young people and millennials today. Many of them resent us and what we've got – many of us seem entitled and dismissive. We owe it to younger Canadians to listen respectfully to their concerns, to understand them and to insist that government address them. This is not the time for the kind of us versus them thinking and behaviour that often defines partisan politics.
