AFN calls emergency meeting as First Nations challenge fast-track projects bill

In Ottawa this week, the Assembly of First Nations announced it would convene an emergency gathering of chiefs to examine a piece of federal legislation designed to accelerate approvals for major infrastructure and resource projects across the country. The move came after National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak met with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss the bill, which was tabled in Parliament the following day.

Woodhouse Nepinak said she remains deeply troubled by what the legislation could mean for First Nations. While she acknowledged that Indigenous communities support efforts to shield Canada from economic instability and to advance resource revenue-sharing arrangements, she flagged a fundamental problem: the bill, as written, may infringe on collective Indigenous rights. She warned that if the government proceeds without securing free, prior, and informed consent from First Nations—a principle enshrined in international law and Canadian court decisions—the result will likely be years of costly litigation.

The legislation has two components. One addresses internal trade barriers between provinces. The other creates a fast-track process for major projects deemed to be in the national interest. The government has outlined five criteria to determine whether a project qualifies: its likelihood of success, whether it would strengthen Canada's economic resilience, whether it would advance Indigenous interests, whether it would contribute to economic growth in an environmentally sound way, and related factors. On paper, advancing Indigenous interests is listed as a consideration. In practice, Woodhouse Nepinak and other First Nations leaders say the consultation process has fallen far short of what the law requires.

The Assembly of First Nations received a copy of the bill only on Friday—the same day it was introduced in Parliament. Woodhouse Nepinak's legal team and elders are now reviewing it. What troubles her most is how the government handled the lead-up. First Nations leaders were informed in advance that Ottawa was planning to fast-track major projects, but they were not shown the actual draft legislation. Instead, they were asked to submit any concerns within a single week. Woodhouse Nepinak has questioned whether the government even notified individual First Nations directly or simply contacted provincial governments and national Indigenous advocacy groups. She told Carney that he cannot use the Assembly of First Nations as a shortcut to bypass direct engagement with rights-holding First Nations governments.

When asked whether one week of review time allows the federal government to legitimately claim it has consulted with Indigenous Peoples—as it did when announcing the bill—Woodhouse Nepinak was blunt: "That's insufficient, and that's not acceptable." She called on Parliament and the Senate to slow down and give First Nations and other rights-holders adequate time to study the legislation, raise concerns, and propose changes before it is passed into law.

Former National Chief Phil Fontaine triggered the emergency meeting call on Monday, arguing that Canada's governments are rushing to boost the economy at the expense of Indigenous rights. Federal ministers have made statements that have only deepened the concern. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty said that closing the First Nations infrastructure gap would not count as "nation-building" under the bill's criteria. Justice Minister Sean Fraser stated that First Nations do not have a "veto" over infrastructure projects. These comments, Woodhouse Nepinak said, were disheartening.

Indigenous leaders have warned that if their rights are not respected and proper consultation does not occur, widespread protests and blockades are possible. Woodhouse Nepinak noted that the timing is particularly difficult: many First Nations communities are currently dealing with wildfires, leaving leadership stretched thin. The emergency meeting next week will give chiefs the opportunity to decide how they want to respond and what direction they want to give the Assembly of First Nations as the bill moves through Parliament. For now, the question of whether the government will genuinely slow down to listen remains unanswered.