N.S. Mi'kmaw chiefs say they should have been consulted on natural resources legislation

Michael Gorman · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 05, 2025 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: March 5

The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Chiefs is again calling retired Premier Tim Houston for a deficiency of consultation arsenic the provincial authorities pushes a caller accent connected earthy assets development.

A missive from the chiefs to Houston connected Tuesday criticized the premier for not consulting the assembly earlier his authorities tabled authorities that, among different things, would make the imaginable for fracking for onshore earthy state and repeal a prohibition connected uranium exploration and mining.

"The assembly has powerfully opposed hydraulic fracturing and uranium mining successful the past," reads the missive signed by Chief Carol Potter, Chief Cory Julian and Chief Tamara Young.

The chiefs spell connected to accidental "it is unacceptable" for the authorities to fast-track earthy assets extraction that could impact the situation and their pact rights.

"All assets extraction developments and strategical level readying decisions impacting our unceded lands indispensable beryllium accompanied by consultation and discussions of compensation and mitigation."

• Houston reaffirms committedness to First Nations consultation amid assets improvement push

• Nova Scotia authorities measure would assistance prohibition connected fracking, uranium exploration

The projected changes are portion of Bill 6, omnibus authorities MLAs are debating astatine Province House.

Since January, Houston has said the state indispensable bash much to harness earthy resources to assistance marque Nova Scotia's system much unchangeable and self-sufficient astatine a clip erstwhile the full state faces economical threats and uncertainty associated with tariffs from the United States government.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump confirmed that his authorities is moving up with 25 per cent tariffs connected goods from Canada and Mexico.

In their missive to the premier, the chiefs constitute that they are not opposed to "ethical and well-planned" improvement that respects their pact rights and provides accidental for their people.

"However, erstwhile the state pushes done hurried legislative changes that reverse longstanding policies successful the sanction of Nova Scotia being 'open for business,' it sends a wide connection that our rights and our voices bash not substance to this administration."

Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton told reporters astatine Province House that the tabling of the measure represents the commencement of a conversation, 1 helium was adamant would see Mi'kmaw leadership.

"Those consultations person to happen. There's nary question astir that," helium said.

"We respect the narration we person with our Mi'kmaw chiefs and that's not going to differ. We volition person consultation and conversations with them connected each azygous project."

Rushton said determination was urgency connected the portion of the authorities to get the measure earlier the House arsenic it contends with a caller economical world nether the Trump administration. He said that was besides a contributing origin successful the authorities pursuing the initiative, contempt not campaigning connected it during the caller provincial election.

Since the renewed accent connected assets development, Houston and his authorities person portrayed themselves arsenic taking connected unnamed peculiar involvement groups and "professional protesters" they accidental person prevented the state from antecedently capitalizing connected its assets potential.

Rushton shied distant from the adversarial code the premier and immoderate ministers person taken connected the issue, saying "everybody has a peculiar involvement successful everything" erstwhile they travel to him.

"It doesn't substance what broadside it is. I see each points of views erstwhile they travel to my array to person those conversations."

'Disrespectful and surprising'

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said it is "unbelievably important" for the authorities to consult with the Mi'kmaq, thing that she noted is required by law.

"It is, I think, disrespectful and astonishing that this isn't thing that this authorities would person considered erstwhile springing this earthy resources strategy upon us," she told reporters.

Interim Liberal Leader Derek Mombourquette said it is "completely unacceptable" that determination was not consultation with the assembly earlier Bill 6 was tabled.

The Mi'kmaq "bring knowledge, they bring a wealthiness of acquisition and past to it and it truly builds the instauration of societal licence for these projects," helium told reporters.

A absorption connected captious minerals

The chiefs antecedently wrote to Houston past period to dependable concerns astir a deficiency of consultation earlier the league astatine the legislature started and there were beardown signals that thing similar Bill 6 was coming. They besides wrote to the authorities past autumn regarding concerns astir consultation connected authorities related to offshore upwind development.

The premier was successful Toronto connected Monday and Tuesday for the yearly Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada league to beforehand opportunities successful the province.

The authorities announced connected Tuesday that the Natural Resources Department would usage $1 cardinal successful national backing for projects to survey however captious minerals tin beryllium extracted from new and antecedently developed sites, specified arsenic historical excavation tailings sites, and to make a exemplary of captious mineral potential successful the province.

Premier to conscionable with chiefs

On Wednesday, Houston told reporters astatine Province House that helium and L'nu Affairs Minister Leah Martin are scheduled to conscionable with the chiefs aboriginal this week.

"I person large respect for our First Nation leaders," helium said.

"Part of that gathering volition beryllium to person a treatment that if and erstwhile oregon arsenic projects travel forward, determination volition beryllium fulsome discussions and consultation and they volition beryllium portion of that."

Houston said earthy resources contiguous galore economical improvement opportunities for the state and First Nations communities and determination are ways to bash it safely.

"Everybody cares astir the aboriginal of our satellite and harmless h2o and cleanable air. We each attraction astir the aforesaid thing."