Latest news with #RebeccaAlty
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
First Nations infrastructure critical but not nation-building: minister
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Rebecca Alty poses for a picture in her office in Ottawa on Monday, June 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA — The new federal Crown-Indigenous relations minister says there's a 'critical' need to build up First Nations infrastructure — but that work won't qualify for the federal government's push to fast-track what it calls 'nation-building' projects. The federal government is developing legislation to speed up work on certain projects with a streamlined regulatory approval process as a substitute for reviews under the Impact Assessment Act. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty told The Canadian Press that closing the First Nations infrastructure gap is important but it's not considered nation-building work and would be pursued outside the proposed legislation. 'It's about looking to make sure that it's not just for one community or one region,' Alty said of the legislation. 'It's a separate and really important issue that we need to focus on.' Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said last week First Nations infrastructure should be considered nation-building because addressing the shortage of all-season roads and internet connectivity in many communities would boost the economy. In an interview Monday, she said it's 'terrible' that the minister doesn't consider those projects nation-building, adding she hasn't met with Alty since she was sworn in last month. 'This is the mother of all Canadian infrastructure and reconciliation projects,' Woodhouse Nepinak said. She cited a report drafted by the Conference Board of Canada for the AFN that said closing the First Nations infrastructure gap could generate $630 billion in economic growth and create more than 330,000 jobs. 'I just think that's wrong to even just say right off the bat because there's many children without access to proper schools … We need proper roads and community infrastructure, clean water, quality housing, modern schools,' she said. Alty's statement came as premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney were meeting in Saskatoon to discuss a draft list of 'national interest' projects. First Nations are organizing opposition to the federal fast-track legislation and to bills at the provincial level that are attempting to do something similar. Woodhouse Nepinak addressed First Nations leaders' concerns in a letter sent to Carney on Friday. In it, she said she fears the proposed legislation could violate the rights of First Nations peoples and undermine the treaties they signed with the Crown. 'Very clearly, the rights of First Nations under international law and the Constitution of Canada are at stake in this legislation,' she wrote. 'Presumably, the government has a draft of the proposed legislation and a consultation draft should be provided to all First Nations immediately.' The federal government gave First Nations leaders a short briefing document on the legislation last Monday and asked them to report any concerns they had about the plan by the end of that week. A regional chief for Anishinabek Nation told The Canadian Press they were only formally briefed on Ottawa's plans just hours before that deadline. 'It would be unfortunate if this opportunity to close the gap on First Nations infrastructure is lost. First Nations' free, prior and informed consent must first be obtained,' Woodhouse Nepinak wrote in the letter to Carney. 'Otherwise, this legislation, like so many before it, will become marred in conflict and protracted litigation because First Nations rights have once again been ignored.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
First Nations infrastructure critical but not nation-building: minister
OTTAWA – The new federal Crown-Indigenous relations minister says building up First Nations infrastructure is 'critical' but doesn't qualify as nation-building as her government works to fast-track new projects. The federal government is developing legislation to fast-track what it calls 'nation-building' projects with a streamlined regulatory approval process as a substitute for reviews under the Impact Assessment Act. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty says that while closing the First Nations infrastructure gap is important, it's not considered nation-building and would be pursued outside the proposed legislation. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said last week First Nations infrastructure should be considered nation-building because addressing the shortage of all-season roads and internet connectivity in many communities would boost the economy. She says it's 'terrible' that the minister doesn't consider those projects nation-building, adding she hasn't met with Alty since she was sworn in last month. Woodhouse Nepinak pointed to a report by the Conference Board of Canada for the AFN that said closing the First Nations infrastructure gap could generate $630 billion in economic growth and create more than 330,000 jobs. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025.
CBC
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
N.W.T. MP Rebecca Alty on her cabinet appointment, and how she'll work to advance land claims in riding
As the new federal cabinet minister responsible for Crown-Indigenous Relations, the N.W.T.'s MP Rebecca Alty will be navigating key issues within her riding. That includes both land claim and self-government negotiations, which Alty said she plans to advance with all available resources. This is the first time in nearly 20 years that the N.W.T. has a representative sitting in cabinet. The last was former MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew, who served as a minister until 2006. Alty spoke to CBC News on Thursday for the first time since she was appointed minister, about her role and how she will balance her position in cabinet with representing her constituents. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. I'm curious, did you push for this ministerial role? No. I was, you know, elected as an MP and that was a big honour — and a big thanks to residents across the Northwest Territories. And then the prime minister's office reached out and asked if I'd consider cabinet. The prime minister called to offer me Crown-Indigenous Relations, which I'm really happy. It's a huge file, but so relevant in our home territory, and so I'm looking forward to the work ahead. How do you think that your background and past experience on Yellowknife city council and as mayor equips you for this role? Yeah, I think those are the relevant skills, and as well as my time at Diavik and being the manager of community and Indigenous relations. As mayor, it was working with eight colleagues to advance issues. So now it's at that bigger scale in Parliament. And then it is continuing to work with Indigenous partners, and now it's not just in the Yellowknife region or the Northwest Territories, but now across Canada. So I do think my background on council as well as at Diavik will be helpful in this portfolio. As minister now responsible for overseeing the land claims negotiations, how are you going to work to progress them here in the territory? I had great discussions with the [Dehcho First Nations] Grand Chief [Herb] Norwegian during the campaign, as well as with his team after the campaign but before I was minister. So I do look forward to, now that I am minister, being able to engage with the leadership. And you know, it sounds super promising with the Grand Chief [Norwegian] looking to finalize an agreement by the end of the year. Now it is working with my department to find the resources to see how possible that is. Because again, there's so many different negotiations happening across the territory, across the country, and so how do we balance that? But it is definitely one of the things that I'm looking most forward to in this role, is land claims and self-government agreements. I'm curious to hear a little more about what your strategy will be. How will you work to push them forward? So at the department level, it is about, you know, finding out our resources available and strategies on how to maximize those resources. It is working with the department as well as partners to see how we can expedite these processes. How will you balance being a minister and serving your constituents? I think it's one and the same. So having that seat at the cabinet table, I am able to to bring that northern perspective and being able to to champion the issues, week in, week out. And as the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, a lot of the important work in the Northwest Territories is resolving the land claims and self-government agreements, continuing to honour and implement treaty, expanding capacity for modern treaty holders. So I think it is one and the same. It will be a challenge to make it into the Northwest Territories as much as when I was mayor. I was living there every week, and so I was able to go to more and more community events. So I think that will be the one challenge.
CBC
20-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Yellowknife city council opts to fill vacant seat with runner-up from 2022 election
Social Sharing Yellowknife city council decided unanimously on Tuesday to ask Rob Foote to fill its vacant council seat. Foote, the territorial manager of inventory and supply chain quality with the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority, ran for city council in the 2022 municipal election, placing ninth for one of eight council seats. With 1,444 votes, Foote lost to eighth-place winner, now-Mayor Ben Hendriksen, by 120 votes. Council has been down a member since Hendriksen gave up his seat on May 5 to become mayor. He was appointed by council to succeed former mayor Rebecca Alty, who resigned following her election as MP for the Northwest Territories in the April 28 federal election. Foote told CBC News on Tuesday that he wasn't surprised council voted to appoint him. "I know that democracy is always at the forefront of their decisions, so going to the next person in line to backfill a vacancy was something I kind of expected them to do anyway," he said. Foote said he plans to accept the job once he gets an offer. Hendriksen said the motion to appoint him is scheduled for the May 26 council meeting. Council had three options for what to do with its empty seat: leave it vacant until the next municipal election on Oct. 19, 2026; hold a byelection; or appoint a new councillor. At a governance and priorities committee meeting on Tuesday, councillors expressed the belief that filling the vacant seat is the democratic thing to do. Coun. Garett Cochrane said council should have an uneven number of members for its votes (nine, including the mayor). He said Foote was the best choice to fill the role because he had the strongest mandate of the unelected candidates in the 2022 municipal election. If Foote declines the job, said Cochrane, council should go to the unelected candidate with the next-most votes, and onward down the line until a 2022 candidate accepts the position. "Our authority and our legal authority is derived through democratic mandates," said Cochrane. "If we appointed anybody else outside of that realm, it would put this council into disrepute and question the very legitimacy of our formation." Coun. Tom McLennan said he preferred appointing a new councillor to holding a byelection because of the staff time necessary for the latter. He also said leaving the seat vacant would deny council an additional perspective while making decisions. Coun. Steve Payne heaped praise on Foote, saying he's known him for years. "He's a very fair individual. He has high morals, high values, and I think that he would be a very good spokesperson for the city," said Payne. Hendriksen said he would make sure Foote got the proper orientation. Council was unlikely to opt for byelection since holding one would take about four months to plan and execute, and would cost between $100,000 and $150,000. During the 2022 municipal campaign, Foote told CBC that he cared about the local economy and wanted Yellowknife to become a leader in research and education, tourism and mine remediation. Councillors make $36,238.05 per year.
CBC
13-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Mandy Gull-Masty becomes 1st Indigenous head of Indigenous Services Canada
Social Sharing An MP from Northern Quebec has become the first Indigenous cabinet minister to hold the portfolio responsible for providing services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Mandy Gull-Masty, who is Cree from Waswanipi Cree Nation, was named the new minister of Indigenous Services in Prime Minister Mark Carney's government on Tuesday. Gull-Masty, MP for the vast riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou, is one of 28 ministers and 10 secretaries of state who were sworn in at a ceremony Tuesday at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. She'll be working closely with N.W.T. MP Rebecca Alty, who has been named the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. Irene Neeposh, chief of Waswanipi, around 625 kilometres north of Quebec City, found out about Gull-Masty's new role from CBC News in an interview, and said she's overjoyed. "I'm very, very happy to receive this news," Neeposh said. "I think it's crucial that the Indigenous representation is an active participant within the Parliament system of our country." In 2021, Gull-Masty was elected as the first female grand chief of the Grand Council of the Crees/Cree Nation Government on a platform that centred on governance, language and culture as well as the economy. She stepped down in March to run for the Liberal Party in the federal election. She's one of 24 r ookie MPs in Parliament. Bill Namagoose, former executive director of the Grand Council of the Crees/Cree Nation Government, said he was surprised and pleased to hear of Gull-Masty in the role and that it was "truly historic for the Cree nation and for Indigenous people across Canada." Gull-Masty is one of three Indigenous MPs sworn into Carney's cabinet Tuesday. Rebecca Chartrand, MP for Churchill-Keewatinook Aski in northern Manitoba, is minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and the minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. Chartrand identifies as Anishinaabe, Inninew, Dakota and Métis from Pine Creek First Nation in Manitoba. Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River MP Buckley Belanger, who is Métis from Île-à-la-Crosse, Sask., will serve as a secretary of state for rural development. Leaders send congratulations Manitoba Métis Federation President David Chartrand said three Indigenous people in cabinet is a good sign, but he'll be watching closely, particularly on issues of land claims and "Indigenous identity theft." "Being a new minister, will they be bold enough to quickly move on priority agendas such as the Red River Métis treaty?" Chartrand said. "That's one question I'll have in the back of my mind." The federal government signed the first-ever modern treaty with a Métis government in November, which formally recognizes the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) as the government of the Red River Métis. "It should be coming in as one of the party agendas because it was put on hold following the call of the election," said Chartrand. In a written statement, a spokesperson for the Métis National Council (MNC) said they are pleased to see Indigenous members of Parliament appointed to key leadership roles and look forward to work to enhance and advance rights, interests and priorities of the Métis Nation. "These appointments represent meaningful progress in advancing Indigenous representation at the highest levels of government and in shaping our shared future," said Melissa Lagacé, MNC's director of communications and public relations. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national organization representing Inuit in Canada, shared a congratulatory post to social media welcoming the inclusion of two First Nations members to cabinet. "We pledge to work with you to build a strong and secure Inuit Nunangat, and a Canada in which Inuit and all Canadians have the opportunity to thrive," the post said.
