First Nations’ Chiefs call on Ottawa to withdraw from pipeline deal with Alberta

At the beginning of December, First Nations chiefs from across the country, including leaders from Quebec, met in Ottawa with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

During the gathering, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) voted unanimously to call on Ottawa to withdraw from a new pipeline agreement with Alberta that could pave the way for a pipeline to British Columbia’s coast.

CityNews spoke with Kahnawà:ke Grand Chief Cody Diabo, who attended the assembly, to break down what came out of the meeting and why many First Nations leaders remain opposed to the proposed project.

The vote to oppose this pipeline deal was unanimous. From your perspective, what message are First Nations sending to Ottawa with this?

Well, just to be clear, Kahnawà:ke does not participate in AFN voting. The AFN does not represent us, but we support what our brothers and sisters across Turtle Island choose to do in their own territories. That is key.

It was a resounding no to this pipeline, and that sends a strong message. There is a lot of talk about natural resources, with Mark Carney travelling the world discussing trade deals, but he is talking about selling or trading things that do not necessarily belong to him. These lands belong to First Nations. Much of Canada is unceded First Nations territory, or land covered by treaties.

The relationship is supposed to be between First Nations and the Crown, the British monarch. The federal government was left to manage that relationship, but over time it has passed responsibilities down to the provinces. Depending on where you are, that relationship is either bad or worse. There may be a few provinces where it is improving, but for the vast majority there is still a struggle. We should be dealing with the federal government or the Crown, not the provinces, and that creates constant conflict.

Why is it important for First Nations to be consulted early on with projects like this?

If we want to move forward together, that was always the idea behind the original agreements and treaties. When we talk about the Kaswenta, or Two Row Wampum, the philosophy was clear: we would travel side by side, not interfering with one another, coexisting. But there is constant overreach by colonial governments, and it always impacts First Nations.

Having us at the table from the beginning, making decisions and determining what happens next together, is what needs to happen. Too often it is, “We want to do this. What are your concerns?” and then the project moves ahead anyway. That wastes everyone’s time.

We are dealing with two major projects in our territory. One, with Contra Corp., we have been working on for nearly 10 years. We built that relationship ourselves and were close to the finish line before the federal government’s major projects office became involved. My concern is simple: do not take credit where no credit is due. That relationship worked because we were at the forefront.

Another issue is the way these meetings are conducted. At the AFN gathering, regions were given two minutes to speak, and not every region even got that. Meanwhile, the prime minister spoke for roughly 30 minutes. That does not build relationships and it does not put First Nations at the forefront.

What are the main concerns you have with a project like this? And hope do decisions like this affect everyday life for communities across Canada?

It really depends on the community, because concerns vary. There are long-standing worries about work camps and the impacts they bring to nearby territories. There are environmental concerns. There is a major push to build oil pipelines across provinces, but very little discussion about basic needs like clean drinking water.

We know what happens when oil spills occur. The environment can take decades to recover, if it recovers at all. Communities around the world are still dealing with the aftermath of spills. If this happens in our territory, it becomes our problem. The message often feels like: “We were trying to sell oil, we made a mess, and now you deal with the cleanup.”

After the prime minister’s appearance before chiefs in December, many leaders left frustrated. What needs to change now for First Nations to trust the federal government on major projects moving forward?

That is a difficult question. First, do not praise yourself for showing up for 45 minutes when you spoke for most of that time, cut people off, and then left early, only to stay afterward for photo opportunities to make it look like a success.

This felt similar to the First Nations summit held in July. There was little meaningful engagement. The prime minister sat at a table, and during breaks took selfies, while chiefs continued discussing serious concerns among themselves. It felt like writing things down on paper and handing them in, like a group project in high school.

We constantly hear statements about respecting UNDRIP and the need to consult First Nations, but that is not consultation. Putting everyone in a room, speaking at them for an hour, and then leaving is not meaningful engagement. It does not build trust, and it does not move the relationship forward.