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I'm host to Michael Kloggs. Okay, So, coming up to July seventeenth, twenty twenty five, there has been large and huge questions about First Nations and Bill C five, that is the bill that fast tracks the critical projects to Canadian infrastructure, enabling under a federal provision that certain types of projects can be fast tracked and just put to put to put through with minimal environmental testing and minimal consultation to First Nations, if there is any consultation First
Nations at all. And the problem is is that the bill itself breaks a number of treaties and international laws on Indigenous rights that First Nations are as Indigenous people should be counselor consulted about all of these major projects
because it's going across traditional, territorial and ancestral lands. So what we're going to hear is is Mark Kearney has actually set up a meeting over the ended on July seventeenth, twenty twenty five, and it is the first and such meetings in over thirteen years where First Nations chiefs are all gathered together in order to speak with the Canadian government all at one time about a particular law or
bill that is being put put to the test. So we're going to hear from Mark Karniy as he discussed the what critical infrastructure really means as he speaks to at a couple of different press conferences about the Canada
or colonial side of things they need to happen. We're also going to hear from the First Nations National Chief as she discussed the needs of First Nations and the rights to actually protect the land and ensure that there is a appropriate balance between gathering resources because Canada is a resource for sale kind of a nation, and protecting the land so that it can be used for generations
and generations to come. One of the things, one of the first things that it's taught in Addigenous culture to children is to protect the land for future generations beyond themselves. To protect things so that not only can they use it, but it has to last beyond them. It has to go past them to the next generations and generations beyond their their own, their own grand children and grandchildren and so forth, and that is something that some of the
colonialism is very short sighted on. It doesn't necessarily always want to protect the generations to come, but it focuses more on what they hearing now is neither side is I'm going to say this, neither side is exactly right or wrong, but there has to be some sort of balance between the two in order for First Nations people to survive and thrive as they should within this within
the society. Because it is the land that that their ancestors have been on for thousands of years, that we know that that there were cultures, there were countries, there were there were nations that that were on this particular land between especially between the US and Canada, where they tried trying to tell us that there wasn't there was just a jumble of stuff. There was wasn't anything, no
formalized culture. That the people that were here were uncivilized and had no culture, and until until colonialism happened and that brought culture to it, that's simply not true that there was culture. There were there were nations, there were civilizations, there were towns, villages, and as you move across the county of North North America, that it wasn't just some
jumble of stuff that there was established governments. There were established civilizations that were here before colonialism came, and that has to be recognized. And that's part of what is being asked now from First Nations members as they are confronting Bill C five, that the rights of the land have to be protected. The land itself has to be protected in order for us as human beings to live
beyond future generations. And if we don't take that stewardship seriously that there are that the earth itself will take care of it, take care of it for us. So we have to the thing of it is is that both the colonial side and the rustation side have to come together in order to find a way to work together, to work with how the land itself wants to work.
That we have to work together in order to protect all of the other species that by by mass ripping up and mass construction, will actually into the loss of species of animals, the loss is the species of plants, and ultimately with those losses will actually cause harm to our own existence. So why don't we listen to what
the First Nation's chief has to say? And we're also going to hear a clip from Mark Karney as he appeared in at these press conferences, also with the summit that was held between First Nations and the Canadian government.
For being pardon me, thanks for being here.
This is uh.
This is an important day. The government ran or I ran on building Canada, building Canada strong. We received a strong mandate for that. Our signature piece of legislation was the One Canadian Economy Act and Building Canada Act within that received bipartisan support in Parliament. And this is the first step. This is the first step of putting that into action. We're starting as we mean to go on,
which means engaging with First Nations. We'll be engaging with the Inuit next week ten days from now Inuvik, and then they may see and having that engagement so that the projects, as we're building our nation, we're building all nations, building together, building in partnership. Today we'll be talking about building in partnership with First Nations in some cases, in partnership in some cases with projects led by First Nations.
Today is about the how, not the what. We're not yet at the what stage we're not yet at the what stage of which projects and how exactly the conditions associated with those projects. But I'm very encouraged by the turnout today of elected chiefs across the country, both physically here and also virtually obviously in many cases very difficult circumstances with the forest fires ravaging our country across our country unfortunately now, and so the level of engagement, the
seniority of engagement. I'm here. I'll be here all day with with my ministers and principally here to listen, uh listen to about that how in that engagement? Hello, and Francis p p uh the metal nerve, proget Luis the Projectlois Sank, the project, the batsil in Canada Falls City, send the la campaign and let poet Luis Clay comes Vico, he comes set on the convers vic is on me
and it's offended. Come on va vic de ploge de pata de poge many Uh uh at all is just fake Ida to the dus sent chef to the adult chef. Uh von participate those many that you had? He's so two dozens, if you see, That's what I'll not be because they feel fighting at all.
There's there's been a lot of age, there's been a lot.
Of about the You're facing a room full of chiefs who faced other prime ministers who are distrustful, anxious, and in some cases angry. I'd like you to explain what advice you got from indigenous members of your cabinet and caucus who are here today. What advice did they give you to help establish trust in that room.
I think it's a it's it's a central question, and I think the first is the advice that we took and the approach that we've taken, uh to this central issue for our country, for first nations of how we're going to build prosperity in which all benefit is first to create the conditions so we can have that conversation. Uh So this is enabling legislation. It doesn't say which projects,
it doesn't say how we're going to build it. The second point is to the first thing we do is to sit down and discuss exactly that in an open way, to listen. That's always good advice. That's why I'm here. I'm I will say a few words at the start and answer questions at the end, but I'm here. I'm here to listen, engage, and move forward from them.
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How achievable is getting agreement or consensus from First Nations leaders in this room today and who are not in this room about how to move forward with this bill?
Well, it's again today is about how to move forward. For example, we are we are providing forty million dollars to build out capacity so that during the process of determining what is a nation building projects which one do First Nations do provinces to the people of Canada want to move forward on that takes work, that takes capacity in order to do that. How to define the conditions The question that was just asked around those projects again,
you need capacity to that. So how do we take that money, that commitment and translate that into an ability first point? Second, Well, I yes, I do, and I think this is and that's the purpose of having that's the purpose of having a discussion, because this is the first step of a process. And I think there's a very basic point here. Everyone wants to make the country better.
Everyone wants better opportunities for their children. Everyone wants more resources for social services, for health, for education, for community services. And the question is about where what we're for which projects help achieve those goals. There's lots of projects that will fall by the wayside because they don't need conditions, because not there is an alignment of interest. But it's about how we establish a process in order to achieve.
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A great honor, a great pleasure to to open this summit. I'm going to say a few words and then I'm going to listen. Listen for the day. Uh i listened carefully, uh to Vernon. Thank you for starting the meeting in the good way and the emphasis on listening ishkoda. We are here to listen, and we are starting as we mean to go forward by listening, engaging, working together. And
thank you Grand Chief for being here with us. I know that many of you, virtually all of you, have traveled very long distances to be here, and I welcome all the rights holders, the nations, the treaty and non treating territories represented here this morning, as well as those of you who are joining us virtually. And I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the many First
Nations that have been impacted by the devastating wildfires. I would also like to, if I may, if you'll indulge me, to compliment my colleagues, minister's Chartran, Alte Goldmasky, Minister Oldashevsky, who worked tirelessly to help provide and work with First Nations to combat these fuires and protect our people. There are multiple leaders who could not be here today due to the fires, but my commitment, our commitment, is to make sure that they are engaged and included in the
conversations as we move forward. We'll also be launching a regional dialogue and a consultation process that will provide further opportunity for input and feedback. So today today is about the future of our economies, or our economies, and how we weave them together so that they're stronger together, how we can build a new economy together, an economy that moves from reliance to resilience. We have too much reliance on a certain foreign market, we have too much reliance
on certain commodities. We can build resilience, but we can only build resilience together. We have to move from division to unity and move from operating in silos into partnerships.
Now, in that.
Discussion, we will of course discussed, as some of you did yesterday, the One Canadian Economy Act, and particularly the Building Canada Act, what it means, how we bring it to life in the right way. And I think that's the first point I really want to emphasize, is that this Act is only a way of starting a conversation and starting a process, and we define that process going forward.
But what it could do is enable Canada to build big things that will connect and transform our national economy, create great careers, not just jobs, but careers for the people that we serve and provide the resources for health, for education and social services that our people deserve. It's about giving ourselves more than any foreign government can ever take away. It's about controlling our economic destiny. Together with this legislation, the word nation carries more than one meeting.
Building Canada projects, national projects in the national interests will build our national economy through indigenous equity and full participation. Equity participation and resource management projects built with indigenous partners, with indigenous community. These and the point is one of the points is that the economic value of these projects will be shared with First Nations. As partners, you will help build the prosperity of your communities for generations to come.
By moving forward together, we can write a new chapter. We together can write a new chapter in the relationship between the Government of Canada and First Nations. And those aren't just words. This isn't an aspiration.
This is the law.
This is the law as it is written. The plan is embedded in the law itself in many respects. This is the first federal legislation to put indigenous economic growth at its core. We now have the opportunity to realize it. So today we're going to discuss how we can do this together, particularly by hearing directly from you about what you want to build, how you want to build, to help build our nations ishkode that calls la coppa a la pataciois it comes sa betsi. They comes sa developed
seti a vouzave ma ferod it comes sa counouzon. We have an ambitious agenda today, UH, and our objectives are fourfold. First, we'll discuss how best to work together meaningfully through engagement and consultation.
How do we do that.
Secondly, we'll review the role of the new Federal Major Project's Office and how it will work with the new Indigenous Advisory Council to get big projects built in the right way. Third, we'll discuss how the federal government can work with first Nations to build opportunities for equitable economic prosperity,
partnership and full participation in major projects. And finally, at the end, I'll help moderate a session on how we can work together on the implementation of this legislation, and during that session, obviously I'll be very happy to take your questions at that time. I'll also be here throughout the day, and I look forward to having informal discussions
with as many of you as possible. The conversations today are about hearing from us participants in building first nations communities as we together build our nation, and I fully recognize, we fully recognize there's many diverse perspectives, which is exactly why we've assembled this group, And thank you again for coming physically and virtually and in spirit to further that out which next week I we'll meet with the Inuit Crown Partnership Committee and soon thereafter with METI Leadership to
continue these conversations. But before I seed the floor, I just want to spend a few more moments on how we would like to move forward and start again on how we intend to go on. Respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples is a fundamental purpose of the Building Canada Act. The Act requires meaningful consultation with Indigenous peoples, both in the process of determining which projects are in our collective interests and in the development of the conditions for those
projects going forward. This is a legal requirement in the Act, which honors Section thirty five of our Constitution, and the duty to consult it upholds the Government's Committee to implement the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including free, prior and Informed consent. It helps put to help put
this into action. The new Major Federal Project's Office will have that Indigenous Advisory Council to advise on the implementation of this bill and to ensure that Indigenous perspectives are fully integrated at each stage of the process. That council will be comprised of First Nations, Inuit, Matsi, Modern Treaty and self government representatives. We'll talk more about the structure
and the operation of that council later today. Now, being a reliable partner to Indigenous peoples goes beyond upholding the duty to consult. It goes to creating and enabling the creation of long term wealth and prosperity for Indigenous peoples through full equity ownership of projects. And that's why we decided to double the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Probe to ten billion dollars to enable more Indigenous communities to acquire equity
ownership of major projects without cost. We've substantially broadened the types of projects that are eligible for this through this type of financing, from not just natural resource projects or so those exist. Projects in the energy sector, in electricity generation, in environmental technologies such as carbon capture, in critical minerals, import infrastructure, in transportation infrastructure, and well beyond all the major projects that we're looking to build as a country.
We're also dedicating forty million dollars to funding of new funding to support First Nations, Inuit and Meysie participation in this process. Money that will help build capacity for negotiations, to help with project selection and development, and we'd like to have your direct feedback on the parameters for this
funding to ensure that it's most effective be used. The Building Canada Act defines projects in the National Interests as those which meet five criteria strengthening Canada's autonomy, our resilience, our security, providing other economic benefits to Canada, having a high likelihood of being successfully executed, contributing to clean development and are environmental objectives, and advancing the interests of indigenous peoples.
Examples of those projects could include highways, railways, ports, new energy and trade corridors. KeyPoint, there is no list of those projects yet, there's ideas out there. Projects will be proposed by many stakeholders. The provinces have ideas. There will be ideas from the private sectors, and there will be ideas directly from first nations. There's multiple ways that we can collaborate on these projects, and I just want to
highlight a few recent examples before I close. We look at Cedar LNG, which is a new floating liquefied natural gas processing facility and export terminal in British Columbia. It's a partnership between a private company, Pemben, a pipeline and the Island Nation the nation. Island Nation wanted this project built and the federal government worked with the islandination to
provide the financing so there was equity ownership. It's a project that's a gold standard for infrastructure projects in Canada, creating over four hundred jobs, generating over two hundred and seventy five million in GDP during the construction and an additional eighty five million year in and year out annually thereafter. Much of that will go directly to the community. It will be power by clean energy and produce ultra low
carbon liquefied national natural gas. It'll diversify our trading relationships into Asia, strengthen our economy here at home. So it's the type of projects that's transformative, that has the partnership
and it's an example on which we can build. It will help change the lives of the workers, not just the workers on the project, but the community members for generations because of that flow of future income that goes directly to the community, because of projects and opportunities like this, because of the prosperity they create, whether it's Cedar LNG, the Enbridge West Coast Natural Gas pipeline, or the partnerships between Hydro Quebec and the Gananahue Mohawk that those projects
will create. There are children who will grow up with a greater sense of security and prosperity and possibility. There'll be more resources for first nations to determine how to use them, whether in community centers, in health, in schools and beyond, and there'll be a foundation on which our
people can build good, fulfilling lives. Really, in the end, what this is about, yes, selecting building and building in the right way major projects, but it's about building our country strong, building our nations strong, to empower our people with opportunity, with security and prosperity. And that's that's what we can build together at all the convol a sanci at evjevous remerci tous de prison devot de vot cando
on pataria vele us alon batsiel de grand Canada. Canada's new government is committed to working together so we can build Canada together for everyone's benefit. I want to thank you again for being here today. I want to thank you for considering putting your trust in this process. I want to thank you in advance for the work that we will do together today and in the months and the years ahead. And now we will get to work, and thank you for your attention. Messie madwutch.
Well, thanks very tending today and please welcome National Chief to the microphone.
Oh Me Gwetch. Thank you Abajakachin and Maka Kabijayan oman Ungum. Thank you to the press for being here and walking with us as we get our messaging out this this week. It's been uh, you know, it's been a long time.
I think the last meeting that chiefs had with the Prime Minister was in twenty twelve, and I think that that's too long for Canada to have a conversation with First nations, and so we look to this week for a more firm commitment on meeting more regular lead with our First Nation's leadership across this country and with the country as a whole. I want to recognize the algonquin
Neshnabik Territory on whose land we are on. Thank you to Cheyenne, our knowledge keeper, our young knowledge keeper, for your prayers, and again thank you to the media for attending today. For the first time since being sworn into office, Prime Minister Carney will meet with First Nations chiefs from across this country. It has been over thirteen years since a Prime Minister had convened a meeting directly with First Nations leadership. So we lift up chiefs that have traveled
to be here this week. We also recognize chiefs that can't be here because they are fighting wildfires in this country, and our hearts and prayers are with all of you and with the first responders across this country. First Nations and Canada are once again at a critical point in our nation to nation relationship. We recognize the Prime Minister
for hosting this meeting. I know that him and I had tough discussions on it, and I'm glad that he'd answered that call to meet with chiefs directly, and so I appreciate him for that. I want to start by saying that we stand with the Prime Minister and with
all Canadians against Prime Minister Trump's illegal tariffs. From the War of eighteen twelve and world wars thereafter, World War one and two, and throughout this country's history, First Nations in the masses and more than any other group cultural group in this country stood up for this country when they were facing war in times of crisis. Now is another one of those times, and First Nations are standing up again to protect their country. First Nations have inhabited
these territories long before colonial borders were established. We have always supported economic growth and prosperity for all, but not at the expense of our rights and of the environment. Our rights cannot be implemented or respected without us in substance and in process. They cannot be respected. After the fact, we have proven over and over in court and at
the United Nations. Bill C five was introduced and the Assembly of First Nations organized two virtual forums, and our executive men or who are here today, had met yesterday. These meetings were a chance to share strategies and discuss issues rights holders and First Nations have been raising consultation and consent were common themes. Chiefs have made it very
clear that First Nations consent for major projects is not optional. Well, while the bill was rammed through Parliament in twenty days and amended to require provincial consent for national projects, provisions for the free prior and informed consent of impacted First Nations were voted down. Until an appropriate process founded in free prior and informed consent is estableablished between First Nations rights holders and the Crown, the Crown's legal obligations will
not be met. So this week, my friends, is only the beginning. Our Assembly of First Nations virtual forums made it clear that First Nations have a range of views on major project development. This diversity is to be celebrated, not feared or leveraged against us. Many First Nations are very concerned about Bill C five, while other chiefs to want to proceed quickly with projects, resource revenue sharing agreements and project ownership. We support every First nation's rights holder,
whether they oppose or support this bill. During the forums, chiefs have questioned the federal definition of a national interest project. Why can't the construction and ongoing operation of a long promise. Clean water systems in First Nations communities be a project of national significance. Why not fast tracks First Nations infrastructure quality, housing, modern First Nations schools, and reliable internet access, access to cell phone service for First Nations children and their families.
Systemic neglect of basic infrastructure is another example of deep rooted inequality that has led to poorer health outcomes and less prosperity for First Nations compared to that of other Canadians. We are four times more likely to live in a crowded house, six times more likely to live in a home that needs major repairs. Half of First Nation's schools in Canada on our First Nations are over crowded. They're
in need of additions or immediate replacement. During this past federal election, Prime Minister Carnei recognized this opportunity in a very tangible and relevant terms during a virtual forum with our chiefs. Trime Minister said closing the First Nation's infrastructure gap alone would trigger would have a bigger impact economic impact than the negative aspect of all of Trump's tariffs.
In addition to a huge return on investment, He described the need to provide predictable funding through a single envelope. The Prime Minister said his government would match First Nations led projects with financing certainty so projects can move through. Excuse me a moment, and during and during the royal visit, King Charles the Third said that we must honor the
Truth and Reconciliation in both word and deed. With the election over Trump's tariffs and the next budget approaching, we have a chance to turn to the Prime Minister's insightful words to deed. What better way to recognize the tenth and of nury of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action then fast tracking national projects to close the First Nation's infrastructure gap. Rights Holders have been waiting patiently
to be heard about Bill C five. They were purposely excluded and uninvited from any substantive exchange with parliamentarians.
About C five.
So this week we hope space will finally be provided four chiefs to be heard. We hope the infrastructure gap is on the table in a very serious way, and we hope the Prime Minister will make meetings with rights holders a more regular occurrence. This can't just be the bl end all today. This has to be the start
of a new relationship with First Nations directly. Regardless of what happens, nothing will change the reality that over five hundred and sixty billion dollars of project are forecast to be launched on traditional First Nations lands over the next decade. The potential benefit of these projects is in the trillions of dollars, but they're not going to advance without First Nation support and that is the truth, my friends. Thank you so very much, Jimmy much.
Hello, good okay, good evening. Sorry, I'm just thinking what time is it right now. It's been a long day. So my name is Kyra Wilson, Grand Chief for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. I just want to say thank you to the leadership that is here today. You know, it has been a long day of conversations with the Prime Minister as well as cabinet ministers and many leadership from across the country and it's been an interesting day
to say the least. We've heard from many nations, of course, which is the most important part of the discussions that
happened in the last two days. We, of course, as First Nations, needed to ensure that our voices are being heard and you know there's a clear message that we've heard or that I've heard, sorry today, but also yesterday as well as that we are calling for honesty and transparency in all discussions when it comes to this country, you know, as the first people's of the land and territories that we see in this country, we need to
be a part of these conversations. And I understand that Canada has talked about, you know, an issue of national security and these major projects are going to address that. And these major projects are of national interest. And what we've heard today is that you know, what is the issue? What is national security? As first nations, we need to
be a part of these conversations. You know, our people have fought in the front lines of the wars of this country and we need to be acknowledged and respected. And we have many, many asks and many demands when it comes to this process. If we are talking about major projects, what are we currently dealing with today? Yes, there are future projects that we can discuss. Of course, today was not about consultation. Today is going to be the first meetings of many That is the expectation from Canada.
And when we think about the consent of these major projects, we also need to have rights of refusal. We need to be able to say no. And that was one of the questions that we asked today. What is your response going to be if a nation says no to any major project within the region or in their territory, and so major projects resource extraction. You know, this is a conversation and you know, we're not against development, but not at the expense of our waters and our lands.
And that is also a clear message that we have shared with Canada today is that we are always going to protect the waters and the lands and ensure that you know, the lands and waters are there for future generations.
And we see resource extraction today. You know, we see Canada and the provinces benefiting from resources that are being extracted from our lands and territories, and we need to also see the benefit from well the financial benefits, sorry, from what is happening today, and we don't as first nations,
we are stricken with poverty in our nations. So you know, that is one of the things that we or I shouldn't say, that I've heard today and just thinking about you know, there's so many thoughts that are going through my mind right now about the message we've also heard you know that section thirty five. There needs to be a framework that is defining First Nations rights within that
piece of legislation. We need to hear from Canada how they're going to respect and recognize our laws, the laws that we create, the standards and regulations that we create in this process. What is that going to look like? And there's so many questions and I'll leave that to leadership to speak about. But what I will say is that this meeting was not consultation. This meeting was a discussion and it's going to be a discussion of many That is the expectation going forward.
And so I.
Acknowledge our leadership that we're at the table today. Thank you very much for being there for our nations. Thank you for standing up for our nations and our families. And I just want to say, jimmy much to our leadership that are here today, thank you.
I thought a lot about what the Prime Minister had to say, and when I think about this relationship that First Nations are engaged with Canada and the history of our relationship, the history of lies, the history of violence, the history of broken promises, this makes trust hard. Prime Minister Carney. I would love nothing more as a First Nation's chief to say that I trust you or that I can trust you. But as you said today, Prime Minister,
today was not consultation. Today was merely engagement, as was yesterday. Don't even consider it a blind dad, Prime Minister, You're just getting to meet us and getting to know us as First Nation's chief, First Nations chiefs and Grand chiefs and forming a healthy and mutually respectful relationship is going to be a long, hard road. It's going to take a lot of time, and we're going to need to
see some serious showings of good faith. And, at the risk of sounding redundant, enacting Bill C five and passing this legislation without consenting, sorry, consulting with us or obtaining our consent was not a good start. Another issue that the Prime Minister touched upon was that of hope. Let me tell you, as a female First Nations Chief, as a mother of five children, as a grandmother who will someday be a great grandmother, hope is something that I
think about every day. Hope is something that First Nations people in this country are fast losing. Hope is virtually non existent right now as I speak these words. Three wildfires surround my ancestral land and much of Northern Manitoba is burning the boreal forest that we rely on, all humans, not just First Nations, all human beings rely on to Breathe is being decimated and it's getting worse year after year after year. This is all the result of climate change.
This is the result of environmental degradation, and we're being asked to come to the table to talk about how we can do more destruction than degradation. Is it just me or does that seem crazy to everyone else as well? There's an abundance of hopelessness and despair in First Nations communities because we don't live in a third world. Let's
get this straight. First Nations people in Canada, a G seven country, live in the fourth world, and it's unacceptable, and once again, it's indicative of the unhealthy and abusive relationship that we seem to be stuck in. I'll give you two quick examples of major destruction that has occurred in my ancestral territory of Northern Manitoba, not just the Nissistic Cree nation, but other First Nations and communities in Northern Manitoba. One perhaps The most damming was Manitoba Churchill
River diversion. It flooded the community of South Indian Lake ten feet underwater. To this day, the sturgeon our facing extinction,
the whitefish are in danger of extinction. And a people that were once completely self sufficient, proud, hard working individuals who did not rely on the government for anything, including my late grandfather, that has been relegated to a community that is almost entirely reliant on the government for not just transfer payments, but employment, income assistance or welfare, welfare,
social assistance, handouts, whatever you want to call it. We never needed this, and it's national projects of interest like hydro dams and pipelines and mines that have brought us to this place where we need to rely on the government in order to survive. The second example is the Reutan mine in Leaf Rapids, Manitoba. Any of my relatives and my citizens live in Leaf Rapids. The entire town is evacuated right now, while the province and the FEDS
kind of go back and forth over jurisdiction. There is no elected government, which is very convenient, and the people are not being helped. The town itself is in grave danger and an emergency mandatory evacuation took place recently. The people are all displaced, they're suffering on the streets of Winnipeg,
Brandon Portaprairie wherever. And this community has been on a Worldwater Advisory for over twenty years because this mine came in under the authorization not of matriarchs like myself, not a First Nations leadership, but by the authority of the provincial government thanks to the National Resource Transfer Act. They came in, they destroyed, and they left a big mess and tailings than you can shake a stick at. There was a time that our elders told us that one
day we would pay for water. That was what they told our ancestors, and our ancestors found that concept to be incredulous. Why would we pay for water because clean, fresh drinking water was in absolute abundance all throughout the Turtle Island and especially in Northern Manitoba. Today, I think it's safe to say that one day wars will be fought over clean drinking water. Make no mistake, our so called neighbors to the south will be the first ones
running up here wanting our water. And it's going to be a sad day.
One day.
No one will be able to breathe, and it won't only be because of all the wildfires. It'll be because we've decimated the boil for us that we as humans rely on for oxygen for survival. My final thought on the issue of Bill C five is that I have great concern for our First Nations women, our girls, and
our two spirit relatives. History has shown us that with big projects and development come man camps, and with these man camps comes copious amounts of sexual violence and gender based violence being perpetrated against our women, our girls, and our two spirit relatives. This cannot continue, It must be addressed, and it should not be ignored. This is not the first time I have addressed this issue with media, and I'm still waiting to have these words shared with the public,
shared with government. As Indigenous women, girls, two spirit and also Indigenous men and boys, we have the right to live. We have the right to feel safe. A WG two US plus no more sexual violent abuse against our indigenous people. To conclude, I will quote Cree knowledge Keeper Robert Spence of Titasquia Cree Nation. What we do to the land, we do to ourselves, and that goes for all of us. Not just First Nations, all human beings. We're all in
this together. And you can't eat money, and you can't breathe money, and you can't drink oil. We have to work together, yes, to improve the conditions of First Nations people in this country called Canada, but we also have to protect Mother Earth Higosani.
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