Ottawa — NDP Indigenous Affairs critic Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) has issued an open letter to Prime Minister Carney to demand his government obtain Indigenous consent before designating projects of “national interest.”

Failure to do so, she writes, is a violation of the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent and undermines Canada’s commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“For reconciliation to have meaning, Indigenous peoples must have a seat at the table before decisions are made, not after they have already been announced,” said Gazan.

“Consultation cannot begin after the government has already decided a project is in the national interest. Once that designation is made, Indigenous nations are left reacting to decisions rather than participating in them,” said Gazan.

According to international law and Supreme Court of Canada rulings, Free, Prior, and Informed Consent requires Indigenous peoples to be involved before decisions are made and requires governments to work toward mutual agreement. Recent court decisions, including Kebaowek and Gitxaala, increasingly rely on UNDRIP to guide consultation processes and support stronger Indigenous participation in decision-making.

“Allowing government to determine projects of national interest before consulting Indigenous nations is inconsistent with both the spirit and intent of Canada’s United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Indigenous peoples must be equal partners in decisions affecting their lands, waters, and territories,” said Gazan.