AMC Responds to Federal Passage of Bill C-5: Reaffirming the Need for True Partnership and Consent
June 20, 2025
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
AMC Communications
Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB – Today, the federal government passed Bill C-5: An Act to Enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act in the House of Commons. Framed as a vehicle for major “nation-building” infrastructure initiatives, the legislation was introduced with promises of Indigenous participation through equity ownership, consultation, and stewardship in resource management.
The federal government has stated its intention to align this legislation with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), including the requirement for free, prior, and informed consent. It also proposes the creation of a Major Projects Office, supported by an Indigenous Advisory Council made up of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders, with a mandate to uphold the constitutionally protected rights affirmed in Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Prime Minister Carney further announced a national summit with First Nations on July 17, 2025.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) welcomes the recognition that First Nations governments must be at the table. However, this moment demands more than advisory roles or a one-day summit. It requires Canada to meet its constitutional and Treaty obligations with integrity, and to respect First Nations as full and equal partners in shaping this country’s future.
First Nations in Manitoba bring generations of governance, knowledge, and legal orders to the table. We are not waiting to be consulted—we expect to be engaged as decision-makers from the outset. Our Peoples are already leading innovative solutions across infrastructure, clean energy, and economic development. Real partnership means co-development, shared jurisdiction, and legislative processes that do not proceed without our consent.
“We acknowledge the passage of Bill C-5, but let us be clear: First Nations are not stakeholders – we are the foundational Nations of these lands. Our rights do not stem from Section 35; they are inherent and rooted in the Treaties our ancestors negotiated in good faith. Canada’s future cannot be built without First Nations leadership at the centre. If this government is serious about reconciliation and partnership, then it must work with us – not after the fact, but from the very beginning. That is the standard we expect moving forward,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson.
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For more information, please contact:
Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com
About The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs:
The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of all 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 172,000 First Nations citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe, Nehetho / Ininew, Anisininew, Denesuline, and Dakota Oyate peoples.