Hon. Ralph Goodale (Wascana, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker,
Former Conservative minister Jim Prentice took the government to woodshed yesterday over its mismanagement of pipelines.
Canadian resources need access to markets, but the process for getting there is badly mangled by the government’s failure to consult Aboriginal peoples.
“There will be no way forward to west coast access without essential participation of first nations”, Mr. Prentice said.
“The crown obligation to engage First Nations in a meaningful way has yet to be taken up”, he said.
Why is that?
Mr. David Anderson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board, CPC):
Mr. Speaker,
As usual, the member opposite has it wrong.
When the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business estimates that oil sand companies do $1.3 billion worth of business each year with aboriginal-owned companies, I think we can suggest that shows that consultation in energy development is working for those aboriginal communities.
An independent, comprehensive, science-based evaluation of the proposed northern gateway project is currently under way. First nations are being consulted extensively as part of that review.
Hon. John McCallum (Markham—Unionville, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker,
Jim Prentice, the government’s former Aboriginal affairs minister, has slammed the government for failing to perform its constitutional duty to consult with aboriginal people on the Northern Gateway pipeline.
Does the government understand that the Prime Minister does not make all the rules, and will the government commit to consult and accommodate Aboriginal Peoples on issues like resource development, which impacts on their rights, or is the government simply saying that Jim Prentice is a liar?
Mr. David Anderson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board, CPC):
Mr. Speaker,
As I said before, we are conducting an independent, comprehensive science-based evaluation of proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.
First Nations are being consulted extensively during that, and I have a list here of 41 first nations that we are helping with funding so that they can present before the Northern Gateway pipeline.
As I said earlier, when we hear from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses that aboriginal companies do $1.3 billion worth of business with oil sands companies, we think the consultation and energy development is working for aboriginal communities.
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