PM Trudeau slams Prairie premiers for 'trying to elevate fears' over resource rights

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called out Canada's Prairie premiers on Wednesday for "trying to elevate fears that have absolutely no grounding in truth" over what the federal government's intentions are around provincial resource rights.

He also accused them of not taking the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) seriously.

The prime minister's remarks come on the heels of Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, and Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson issuing a joint statement on Tuesday calling on Trudeau to set the record straight about whether the federal government was "considering stripping resource rights away from the three Prairie provinces." 

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The federal-provincial tension was sparked by comments Justice Minister David Lametti made last week while taking questions during an Assembly of First Nations meeting.

"Let me be very clear, the minister of justice said no such thing. If you actually look at his remarks, it is very clear that we're talking about the importance of the federal government living up to our responsibilities under UNDRIP," Trudeau told reporters during a press conference in Winnipeg.

At the meeting, Lametti was asked whether the government would consider rescinding the 1930 Natural Resources Transfer Act that set up resource management agreements with the Prairie provinces without Indigenous consultation.

"I obviously can’t pronounce on that right now but I do commit to looking at that,” Lametti told the AFN. "It won’t be uncontroversial is the only thing I would say, with a bit of a smile."

Controversial this proved to be, with the Prairie premiers quickly calling Lametti's comments "outrageous" and "an unprecedented risk to national unity."

On Monday, the federal justice minister issued a statement seeking to clarify what he had said.

"To be clear, at no point did I commit our government to reviewing areas of provincial jurisdiction, including that over natural resources," read the post. "The focus of our government’s work is to co-develop an action plan with Indigenous partners that will show the path we must take towards aligning federal laws and policies with UNDRIP."

Still, after this clarification, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre joined the Prairie premiers in their expressions of outrage on Tuesday, accusing Lametti of threatening to "overturn the constitution and take federal control over provincial resources." 

"This isn't true," Lametti shot back. "What I did promise Indigenous partners is what I will always promise Indigenous partners – to listen."

During Wednesday's press conference the prime minister said he'd generally like to see provinces "move forward more seriously on reconciliation than they have been."

"We know we need to move forward in true reconciliation and partnership with Indigenous peoples. And that's something that we certainly hope we're going to be able to work on with the premiers and with Indigenous peoples, to be able to grow the economy and create those great jobs— including in natural resources— that are going to be there for decades to come as we move towards a net zero world," Trudeau said.

With files from CTV News Regina