Politics Insider: Indigenous interests will be considered in major infrastructure projects, Carney says

Globe and Mail

4 days ago

Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let's look at what happened today.
Mark Carney came out of a meeting with premiers and territorial leaders today, saying Indigenous interests will be considered in the development of major infrastructure projects deemed a national priority.
'All first ministers agree that Indigenous partnerships and equity will be central to success,' the Prime Minister said at news conference held to mark the end of the meeting in Saskatoon today.
'Upcoming federal legislation will mandate both meaningful consultation with Indigenous peoples, both during the process of determining which projects are in the national interest and developing the conditions for each project.'
Carney said discussions about nation-building projects and the federal approach to supporting such initiatives took up much of the talks behind closed doors today.
The litmus test for designating projects as being in the national interest is whether they strengthen the Canadian economy, autonomy, resilience and security; provide undeniable benefits to Canada; and have a likelihood of successful execution.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who has been critical of the policies of the Liberal government under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, said the meeting was very positive, but further talks are required.
'There's much discussion – and work - that is going to happen post today's meeting,' he told a concluding news conference.
Please check The Globe and Mail for updates on today's meeting.
Elsewhere, former prime minister Stephen Harper says Canada needs to mend relations with India because the democracy of 1.4 billion is a necessary partner in an increasingly chaotic world.
Steven Chase also reports that the Conservative prime minister between 2006 and 2015 urged all Canadian political parties to shun the Khalistan movement, which seeks to carve a separate state for Sikhs out of India.
Relations between Canada and India went into a deep freeze in September, 2023 when then-prime minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused New Delhi of playing a role in the gangland slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistan advocate.
Harper made his comments Saturday in Toronto after receiving an award from a group that promotes trade with India.
Algoma Steel CEO says 50% tariffs threaten viability in the U.S: Michael Garcia says the existing tariff has already caused the percentage of Algoma's revenue coming from the U.S. to fall to 50 per cent from as high as 65 per cent, and a doubled tariff may grind U.S. business to a halt entirely.
PM selects former UN ambassador as chief of staff: Marc-André Blanchard, a prominent Quebec lawyer widely respected for his competence and level-headed judgment served as Canada's ambassador to the UN from 2016 to 2020.
Bank of Canada expected to remain on pause after strong economic data: Financial market odds of a rate cut to the bank's key interest rate dipped slightly after Statistics Canada's gross domestic product report showed the economy grew at an annualized rate of 2.2 per cent in the first quarter.
Ottawa's countertariffs see $617-million boost for import duties in March: The federal government's latest fiscal monitor report shows revenues from customs import duties topped $1-billion in March, more than double the figure from a year earlier.
Poilievre could face leadership review as early as March: The Conservative Party's executive director is proposing national council sign off on a March leadership review, which would give party members the chance to vote on whether Pierre Poilievre should remain as leader.
Prime Minister's Day: Mark Carney is hosting a first ministers' meeting in Saskatoon, and was scheduled to hold a news conference in midafternoon.
Party Leaders: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May met with British Columbia mayors in Ottawa for the 2025 Federation of Canadian Municipalities meeting and attended the House of Commons. No schedules released for other leaders.
No Eby at First Ministers' meeting: B.C. Premier David Eby is not at today's first ministers' meeting in Saskatoon. Eby is leading a trade mission to Japan, South Korea and Malaysia through June 10. His office said the trip was planned before today's meeting was announced. In his stead, the province has sent Deputy Premier Niki Sharma, also the attorney-general.
'I've got to work where I think we're going to have the most success and where I think we'll have the most success right now is working on a corridor between Hudson Bay and the port of Prince Rupert and I hope we can get some common ground on that.' – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, at today's first ministers' meeting in Saskatoon, on her pipeline ambitions.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is welcoming the first ministers to the first such gathering in the province in about 40 years. Who was the premier when a first ministers' gathering was last held in the province?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
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The answer to today's question: Grant Devine, who was Saskatchewan's Progressive Conservative premier between 1982 and 1991, represented the province at the first ministers' table during a gathering on the economy held in Regina on Feb. 14 and 15.