The Coalition calls for “courage” and Indigenous inclusion during Senate hearing on Bill C-5
The Hon. Lisa Raitt, co-chair of the Coalition for a Better Future, speaks about Bill C-5 inside the Senate Chamber alongside the former Premier of New Brunswick, the Hon. Brian Gallant. PHOTO: SCREENSHOT
Coalition for a Better Future co-chair Lisa Raitt appeared before the Senate Committee of the Whole to discuss Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act.
“The truth of the matter is this: We have spent the last 20 years skating. Across governments, we have avoided the hard questions about competitiveness, resilience and sustainability, and now, unfortunately, we are running out of time. But we’re not out of options,” she said.
“We have to do something. Status quo is not working. We’re falling behind, and we are going to lose the things we cherish and value in this country if we don’t do something on the economy,” she said.
The Coalition for a Better Future is encouraged by the legislation and believes it can help strengthen Canada’s long-term economic foundations, creating a more prosperous future for all Canadians. However, Raitt emphasized the importance of including and consulting with Indigenous communities in decision-making.
“The government is giving themselves power to be able to move these national projects along, but that’s only paper power. What the power really resides in is having the proponent and the Indigenous community be partners, quite frankly, and it’s up to the Indigenous community if they would like to be an equity partner or they don’t want to be an equity partner. It’s completely their own decision-making on it,” she said.
“Even if you have this national priority designation, without having the meaningful cooperation, participation and partnership of an Indigenous community, it’s going to be very difficult for a board to give you that final investment approval, quite frankly.”
She added: “Regardless of what is said here in the act, the onus is still going to be on companies and proponents to make sure that they do what is needed to be done, and that is to work with, obtain the consent, partnership and advice of the First Nation community as they go through their process. It doesn’t happen without them.”
“We have to do something. Status quo is not working. We’re falling behind, and we are going to lose the things we cherish and value in this country if we don’t do something on the economy.”
~ Hon. Lisa Raitt, co-chair, Coalition for a Better Future
Raitt also pointed to the need for businesses to have certainty. “Yes, government has a lot of power, and there’s a lot of legislative ability, but the reality is that sometimes it’s not wielded appropriately, quickly or decisively. Business seeks that certainty. The act may be one piece of it, but actually seeing the proof of the projects being approved and put in place is what will give comfort to companies around the world,” she said.
Raitt underscored that the biggest obstacle to the success of major projects is leadership having “courage.”
“Courage to make a decision and courage to put the power in the right people’s hands to execute on it. That’s what it comes down to," she stated.
