Prime Minister Mark Carney’s upcoming legislation aimed at fast-tracking national interest projects faces opposition from the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), led by National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, who warns it threatens First Nations’ treaty rights and jurisdiction. She insists that “free, prior and informed consent” from First Nations is essential before proceeding with major projects, highlighting concerns about insufficient time for review and the need for collaboration on Indigenous issues, such as infrastructure and housing. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations also expressed discontent over being excluded from key discussions regarding decisions affecting their ancestral lands.
