Former national chief calls for list of demands as PM, premiers talk infrastructure

By Canadian Press on June 2, 2025.

OTTAWA — The former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is calling for an emergency meeting of chiefs to come up with demands for governments as they seek to fast-track projects they deem to be in the “national interest.”

Phil Fontaine says the federal, provincial and territorial governments are trying to demolish First Nations rights and interests as they move to accelerate project approvals in a way that does not “honour the first peoples.”

He is urging current National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak to convene an emergency meeting of chiefs from across the country to bring forward a list of demands for the governments.

Fontaine’s call came as Prime Minister Mark Carney met with premiers in Saskatoon Monday to discuss a draft list of “national interest” projects and planned federal legislation to fast-track development.

Fontaine says First Nations are being excluded from “all the very important discussions” taking place right now, and they “have to take matters into our own hands.”

He says First Nations leaders should “do it in the most kindest way possible, but in a very determined way to express, once again, who we are.”