Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he would incentivize First Nations to support natural-resource projects through industry taxes and revisiting how much sway Indigenous Peoples and environmental considerations have over approving projects.
The proposals drew some swift criticism from experts and researchers.
Speaking at a rally in Ottawa on Saturday, Poilievre said he would encourage Indigenous leaders to support natural resource projects by B次元官网网址渓etting companies pay a share of their federal corporate taxes to local First NationsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a position he first announced last year.
He added that First Nations could spend that revenue on B次元官网网址渃lean drinking water and a better future for their people.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 want the First Nations people of Canada to be the richest people in the world,B次元官网网址� Poilievre said, adding he would repeal Bill C-69, which requires that resource projects be assessed for environmental, health, social and economic impacts and respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Poilievre also pledged to approve federal permits for mining the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario B次元官网网址� a controversial project opposed by some First Nations in the region.
When asked whether these policies could address water access and advance economic empowerment, First Nations experts were skeptical, while a Conservative MP who serves as his partyB次元官网网址檚 critic on Indigenous issues said the current approach to reconciliation isnB次元官网网址檛 working.
Hayden King, executive director of the Indigenous-led think tank and research body Yellowhead Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, said the ideas behind PoilievreB次元官网网址檚 proposals are not new.
He said Poilievre is B次元官网网址渄oubling downB次元官网网址� on Conservative policies that led to tensions between Indigenous Peoples and the government of former prime minister Stephen HarperB次元官网网址檚 government B次元官网网址� tensions that drove the Idle No More movement.
That movement brought together Indigenous activists from across the country to protest HarperB次元官网网址檚 Jobs and Growth Act B次元官网网址� a bill they said would diminish their rights while giving governments and businesses more authority to develop resources without strict environmental assessments.
B次元官网网址淧revious Conservative leaders have really said the same thing going back generations. Poilievre hasnB次元官网网址檛 really amended the playbook, but in other ways I think heB次元官网网址檚 really accelerated the philosophy,B次元官网网址� King said, adding it appears Poilievre is B次元官网网址渁bandoningB次元官网网址� elements of the Constitution that require consultation with Indigenous Peoples.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 either obtuse to constitutional requirements or doesnB次元官网网址檛 care about them. And of course, if itB次元官网网址檚 the latter, heB次元官网网址檒l find himself in court,B次元官网网址� he said.
Dawn Martin-Hill, a First Nations water researcher with Ohneganos in Six Nations and McMaster University, said PoilievreB次元官网网址檚 comments follow U.S. President Donald TrumpB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渄octrineB次元官网网址� of promising tribes theyB次元官网网址檒l be rich if they permit pipeline developments they have opposed in the past.
B次元官网网址淢ost Indigenous leaders would see right through (what Poilievre said) because weB次元官网网址檝e been around that corner a few times,B次元官网网址� said Martin-Hill.
B次元官网网址淪elling your soul to have what other Canadians have, which is access to clean drinking water coming out of your tap, is highly problematic.B次元官网网址�
In a statement issued Wednesday, Conservative MP Jamie Schmale said his party believes the B次元官网网址淥ttawa knows bestB次元官网网址� approach to Indigenous issues isnB次元官网网址檛 working.
B次元官网网址淚n addition, a Poilievre Conservative government will reverse the disastrous and unconstitutional Carney-Trudeau Liberal radical policies that have killed resource projects and blocked prosperity for First Nations communities who were ready and willing partners,B次元官网网址� said Schmale, the partyB次元官网网址檚 critic for Crown-Indigenous relations and Indigenous services.
B次元官网网址淲e have trillions of dollars of resource wealth right beneath our feet and in many cases, it belongs to First Nations Peoples and communities. We will rapidly approve LNG plants, pipelines and mines, and by partnering with First Nations to develop our world class resources, we will bring home powerful paycheques while making First Nations People the richest on Earth.B次元官网网址�
Billy Morin, the former chief of Enoch Cree Nation who is running as a Conservative candidate in the next election, expressed support online for PoilievreB次元官网网址檚 remarks Monday, saying Canada B次元官网网址渘eeds new leadership commitments to unlock our resource potential.B次元官网网址�
Pointing to PoilievreB次元官网网址檚 remarks on water, King said it appears a Conservative government under Poilievre would offload its obligations to Indigenous Peoples onto industry.
The Liberals promised they would end all long-term drinking water advisories by March 2021. While 147 have been lifted since 2015, 33 are still in effect in 31 communities.
The Conservatives have often attacked the LiberalsB次元官网网址� for failing to fulfil that promise. The Liberal government last year introduced Bill C-61, which recognizes that First Nations have an inherent right to clean drinking water and commits the government to providing adequate and sustainable funding for water services on First Nations.
In early December, Liberal MP Jaime Battiste, who is MiB次元官网网址檏maq, asked for unanimous consent from MPs to send the bill to the Senate. Several Conservative MPs said no. Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer then tabled a similar motion that also accused the Liberal government of inaction.
That motion was also defeated, which meant the bill did not proceed to the Senate. With Parliament prorogued, C-61 remains in limbo.
A spokesperson for Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu called PoilievreB次元官网网址檚 remarks on First Nations and water B次元官网网址渘ot surprising.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淗e is saying that communities only deserve clean drinking water if they let private corporations exploit their lands and resources,B次元官网网址� Hannah Weiler said in a media statement.
B次元官网网址淧ierre wants to go back the days where government ignores communities and ignores potential. ThatB次元官网网址檚 bad for everyone.B次元官网网址�
Schmale said his party is B次元官网网址渃ommitted to improving access to clean waterB次元官网网址� by allowing communities to spend money on what they think is important.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
