Smith says 'common ground' found during positive first meeting with Carney
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's looking for quick action on federal energy policies following a 'very positive' first meeting Friday with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
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The conversation was the first since Carney's Liberals won last week's election and occurred a day after the province launched legal action challenging Ottawa's clean electricity grid regulations.
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Smith had previously issued a list of nine economic-focused demands for the next prime minister and pledged to strike a panel to ask Albertans what they would want if the Liberals won a fourth consecutive term.
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Speaking on her call-in radio show Saturday, the premier said 'some common ground' was found as she raised each of those demands and the two discussed projects of importance to Alberta.
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'He listened attentively. He did not dismiss out of hand or reject anything that I said, and that's a very positive first step,' Smith said.
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'For me though, it's more than words. We have to see action and that is what I will be pressing for.'
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Asked if she would advance a referendum if the federal government doesn't agree to her directives, Smith said more assessment is warranted.
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'What I have overwhelmingly heard is that people want me to give this new relationship, and this new prime minister, a chance to correct some of the issues that have festered for the last 10 years, and I will go into those discussions in good faith, and I did,' she said.
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The Alberta government tabled legislation last week that lowers the bar for citizens to initiate referendums, including a possible vote on Alberta separating from Canada.
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Indigenous leaders from across the province and country have condemned the move, saying Smith is stoking separatism and violating treaty commitments in the process.
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'Large swaths of this province are governed by the sacred Treaties between First Nations and the Imperial Crown, including Treaty 7,' reads a joint statement issued Friday by the Tsuut'ina, Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney Nations.
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CBC
36 minutes ago
- CBC
2 First Nations working on roads to Ring of Fire speak out against Ontario's new mining law
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They say they want to be involved in development, but that the new law violates their treaty rights and ignores their concerns. Aroland signed a shared-prosperity agreement with the province in January for major upgrades to roads that lead to the proposed roads to the Ring of Fire, a 5,000-square kilometre region about 450 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont. Aroland sits outside the Ring of Fire region with access to the provincial highway system that ends near its territory. Premier Doug Ford has trotted out Gagnon's name at least five times in recent weeks in defence of Bill 5. Ford also often points to Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation, which are the lead proponents for three roads that will connect their remote communities to the provincial highway system. One of them would connect the Eagle's Nest site in the Ring of Fire, a proposed mine owned by Australian mining giant Wyloo, to the other two roads. "There's going to be a group that doesn't want anything done," Ford said last week. "Well, good, don't do it then. There's going to be another group in the middle that says, 'Boy, let's see what happens.' And then there's the progressive group that's saying, 'Let's get it done,' like Chief Sonny from Aroland — and Webequie and Marten Falls." Gagnon said Aroland has never consented to mining the Ring of Fire. Rather, part of the agreement was designed to give road access to its neighbouring First Nation, Marten Falls. Marten Falls and Webequie First Nation are fly-in communities that have a month or so of winter road access. "Aroland has never said Marten Falls cannot build a road so that it is no longer remote; if they want to have road access to the highway system like we do, they should be able to," Gagnon said. WATCH | Ontario passes Bill 5 despite opposition from First Nations, environmental groups: Ontario passes Bill 5 despite opposition from First Nations, environmental groups 6 days ago Duration 2:39 "But that has to be done right — with proper assessment and protection measures and Aroland involvement and consent. The agreement with Ontario is about that, and some necessary electrical power to our community." "We were to get funding to support that initiative and so far we have received nothing and instead have spent our own dollars trying to ensure our community has basic services," Gagnon said. Aroland does not consent to that road being used for mining companies, he added. "We have consistently in writing indicated that no such decision on what happens to the Ring of Fire should be made until the regional assessment being conducted now and being co-led by many First Nations, including Aroland, is complete, and indicates that mining in this sensitive and vulnerable peatlands region is safe for humanity, for us, for wildlife, climate and water," Gagnon said. "We don't yet know that. More important — Ontario does not yet know that." Ford says he will speak to Gagnon Ford took issue with Gagnon's comments. "Does he want the $200 million electricity deal that we handed over to him? Does he want to get off diesel because they live on diesel? Does he want a road that they can actually leave their community and drive?" "Does he want a community centre? Does he want a hockey arena inside that community centre? The answer is 1,000 per cent yes," Ford said Monday at Intersect/25, an event hosted by the Globe and Mail. 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"Our intent is to take the lead on development in our area and with that we're still in discussions with government on how to move forward," he said. "We don't agree with everything that government says and does. So we're taking it on an approach that's based on a negotiation." Marten Falls First Nation has been working on environmental assessments for the roads. One of the assessments has been in development for going on six years, though about half that time was lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Achneepineskum said. "Sometimes, you think to yourself, that is a really long time," he said. Ford, Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford and Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce have said the province will consult First Nations on the new law throughout the summer. 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Winnipeg Free Press
38 minutes ago
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Five things you need to know about the auditor general and environment audits
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Global News
2 hours ago
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