Canadas Indigenous Peoples Divided by Trudeaus Build Fast Infrastructure Plan

Vancouver, Canada – Prime Minister Mark Carney’s efforts to unite Canadians around protecting the nation’s economy from US threats are facing opposition from some Indigenous groups. As of March 14, one year since Carney took office, his government is pushing forward with plans to expand resource extraction and projects on ancestral lands.

The Liberal party, led by Carney, formed a minority government after last year’s election, with the highest share of popular votes in 40 years. A key aspect of Carney’s agenda is to strengthen Canada’s economic sovereignty, which he has described as “elbows up.” This approach includes creating a Major Projects Office to speed up approvals of economic developments.

The office will focus on fast-tracking 10 mega-projects worth $85 billion Canadian dollars (approximately $116 billion USD), including two liquefied natural gas plants, an open-pit mine in British Columbia, and wind power projects in Atlantic Canada. The government estimates these projects will generate significant revenue.

Recent opinion surveys have shown that Canadians generally support Carney’s approach to the US trade war. A March 3 poll found that 50 percent of respondents believe Carney is protecting Canada’s core interests when dealing with Trump, while 36 percent hold negative views.

However, some Indigenous groups are expressing concerns about the government’s push for accelerated mega-projects. Assistant politics professor Shady Hafez from Toronto Metropolitan University stated that his community and others are worried about the impact on their lands and resources. “For that to happen, Canada needs land and resources,” he said. “And it takes those lands and resources from us.”

The Assembly of First Nations has passed an emergency resolution opposing a new pipeline deal signed by Carney’s government in November. The AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak emphasized the importance of including Indigenous peoples in decision-making processes. “First Nations people, we stand with Canada against Trump’s illegal tariffs, but not at the expense of our rights,” she said.

The Canadian constitution enshrines the rights of Indigenous people, but some experts argue that these rights are often overlooked in favor of national prosperity. The resistance to Carney’s major projects push is not universal, as the First Nations Natural Gas Alliance has praised his more aggressive approach compared to previous governments.

Source: Al Jazeera