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 91裸聊视频渓etting companies pay a share of their federal corporate taxes to local First Nations91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� a position he first announced last year.
He added that First Nations could spend that revenue on 91裸聊视频渃lean drinking water and a better future for their people.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚 want the First Nations people of Canada to be the richest people in the world,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频� 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 party91裸聊视频檚 critic on Indigenous issues said the current approach to reconciliation isn91裸聊视频檛 working.
Hayden King, executive director of the Indigenous-led think tank and research body Yellowhead Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, said the ideas behind Poilievre91裸聊视频檚 proposals are not new.
He said Poilievre is 91裸聊视频渄oubling down91裸聊视频� on Conservative policies that led to tensions between Indigenous Peoples and the government of former prime minister Stephen Harper91裸聊视频檚 government 91裸聊视频� tensions that drove the Idle No More movement.
That movement brought together Indigenous activists from across the country to protest Harper91裸聊视频檚 Jobs and Growth Act 91裸聊视频� a bill they said would diminish their rights while giving governments and businesses more authority to develop resources without strict environmental assessments.
91裸聊视频淧revious Conservative leaders have really said the same thing going back generations. Poilievre hasn91裸聊视频檛 really amended the playbook, but in other ways I think he91裸聊视频檚 really accelerated the philosophy,91裸聊视频� King said, adding it appears Poilievre is 91裸聊视频渁bandoning91裸聊视频� elements of the Constitution that require consultation with Indigenous Peoples.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 either obtuse to constitutional requirements or doesn91裸聊视频檛 care about them. And of course, if it91裸聊视频檚 the latter, he91裸聊视频檒l find himself in court,91裸聊视频� he said.
Dawn Martin-Hill, a First Nations water researcher with Ohneganos in Six Nations and McMaster University, said Poilievre91裸聊视频檚 comments follow U.S. President Donald Trump91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渄octrine91裸聊视频� of promising tribes they91裸聊视频檒l be rich if they permit pipeline developments they have opposed in the past.
91裸聊视频淢ost Indigenous leaders would see right through (what Poilievre said) because we91裸聊视频檝e been around that corner a few times,91裸聊视频� said Martin-Hill.
91裸聊视频淪elling your soul to have what other Canadians have, which is access to clean drinking water coming out of your tap, is highly problematic.91裸聊视频�
In a statement issued Wednesday, Conservative MP Jamie Schmale said his party believes the 91裸聊视频淥ttawa knows best91裸聊视频� approach to Indigenous issues isn91裸聊视频檛 working.
91裸聊视频淚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,91裸聊视频� said Schmale, the party91裸聊视频檚 critic for Crown-Indigenous relations and Indigenous services.
91裸聊视频淲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.91裸聊视频�
Billy Morin, the former chief of Enoch Cree Nation who is running as a Conservative candidate in the next election, expressed support online for Poilievre91裸聊视频檚 remarks Monday, saying Canada 91裸聊视频渘eeds new leadership commitments to unlock our resource potential.91裸聊视频�
Pointing to Poilievre91裸聊视频檚 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 Liberals91裸聊视频� 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 Mi91裸聊视频檏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 Poilievre91裸聊视频檚 remarks on First Nations and water 91裸聊视频渘ot surprising.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淗e is saying that communities only deserve clean drinking water if they let private corporations exploit their lands and resources,91裸聊视频� Hannah Weiler said in a media statement.
91裸聊视频淧ierre wants to go back the days where government ignores communities and ignores potential. That91裸聊视频檚 bad for everyone.91裸聊视频�
Schmale said his party is 91裸聊视频渃ommitted to improving access to clean water91裸聊视频� by allowing communities to spend money on what they think is important.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
