OTTAWA — The Assembly of First Nations will hold an emergency meeting next week to discuss the implications of federal legislation that would speed up approvals for major projects.
National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak met Thursday with Prime Minister Mark Carney about his government's new bill, tabled Friday. She said she remains "deeply concerned" about the legislation's potential impact on First Nations.
"First Nations support efforts to protect Canada from economic uncertainty and advance resource revenue sharing agreements," she said.
"However, First Nations are very concerned that this proposal may violate many collective rights … Failure to obtain free, prior and informed consent will likely result in protracted litigation."
The legislation has two parts — one to break down int