The NDP’s Aboriginal Affairs Critic calls the Conservative’s plan to create a Major Projects Management Office in BC “an attempt to deal with their botched efforts around consultation”.
Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford announced the plan this week, saying the goal is to engage First Nations and garner support for major energy projects.
Nanaimo-Cowichan MP Jean Crowder says doing it in a meaningful way is going to require a lot of resources and she hopes the government is serious.
Crowder says the courts have been clear that the federal government has a duty to consult with First Nations. She says they need to follow through in an open and transparent way or they’ll end up in a legal battle.
There’s been no indication of when the Major Projects Management Office will be operational.
