Justice minister apologizes for comments that 'potentially eroded' trust with Indigenous peoples

OTTAWA — Justice Minister Sean Fraser apologized Wednesday for recent comments about the federal government’s duty to consult First Nations regarding developing projects on their territories, saying his words “potentially eroded a very precarious trust.” The issue has emerged in light of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plan to introduce legislation that would fast-track approvals for major energy and infrastructure projects by cutting the timeline to two years, down from five. The Assembly of First Nations, a national advocacy organization representing more than 600 First Nations across the country, has expressed concerns that, from what they have seen of the forthcoming bill, it  “suggests a serious threat” to First Nations treaty rights. In a recent letter to Carney, National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak cited the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which outlines the principle of obtaining “free, prior, and informed consent” regarding laws and decisions that affect Indigenous peoples. When asked about that principle on Tuesday, Fraser outlined his interpretation of it, telling reporters that it demands “a very deep level of engagement and understanding of the rights that may be impacted.” However, he said, “it stops short of a complete veto” when it comes to government decisions On Wednesday, Fraser apologized for those comments, saying it gave some the impression of the government wanting to “ work unilaterally, not in partnership,” with Indigenous people.  “Despite innocent intentions, I think my comments actually caused hurt and potentially eroded a very precarious trust that has been built up over many years to respect the rights of Indigenous people in this country,” he said on his way into the Liberal caucus meeting. The minister said that after he made those remarks he received a call from the national chief, “expressing her frustration.” Fraser said he apologized to Woodhouse Nepinak and committed to do so publicly. “This is completely on my own initiative,” Fraser told reporters. “I’ve not been asked to do this by anyone. (Woodhouse Nepinak) said that she would appreciate if I would offer some clarity. But this is not coming from anyone within government. This is something I feel compelled to do.” A request for comment from the Assembly of First Nations has yet to be returned. More to come …  National Post staylor@postmedia.com Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here.