Prime Minister Mark Carney called on Métis leaders Thursday to help transform the economy in response to an increasingly unsteady trade relationship with the United States under President Donald Trump.
"We have the opportunity to work together on transformative projects that can help change the economic trajectory of our country to the benefit of all," Carney said to Métis leaders from Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the N.W.T. who gathered in Ottawa for the meeting.
"As we build a new Canada, we're going to build it in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, and that's why we're here today."
The meeting was called to discuss the Carney government's major projects legislation, which allows cabinet to quickly grant federal approvals for big industrial projects it deems to be in the national interest by sidestepping environmental protections and other legislation.
While the legislation was passed quickly in June with the support of the opposition Conservatives, it was widely condemned by Indigenous leaders who said their rights were not respected when the bill was being drafted. They also said they feared that their rights would not be respected in project approvals and that they won't be adequately consulted.
The Manitoba Métis Federation, which represents Red River Métis, turned down an invitation to take part in the meeting Wednesday, saying that inviting the Métis Nation of Ontario undermined the integrity of the gathering and put the government's plans for major projects at risk.
The Manitoba Métis Federation said the Métis Nation of Ontario has no basis for existing and does not represent Métis.
Carney was joined in the meeting by a handful of his ministers, including Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
The Métis Nation British Columbia said it wouldn't be attending the meeting because it was only invited as an online observer.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
