Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for North Vancouver.
I appreciate the opportunity to offer a few words with respect to the motion by the hon. member for Portage—Lisgar. If I may, I would like to focus my remarks today on consultations and engagement with indigenous people.
When any project presents either a challenge or opportunity for an indigenous community, meaningful consultation is crucial. Aboriginal and treaty rights are affirmed in section 35 of the Constitution. The government needs to ensure that, moving forward, we uphold the honour of the crown and that proposed projects make good policy sense for indigenous peoples and all Canadians. As the hon. members know, there are many projects representing potential new investments that are either planned or under way in Canada, and many are located in or near indigenous communities or on traditional territories. These projects have the potential to create important new opportunities for indigenous communities.
Today, over 30,000 indigenous people work in energy, mining, and forestry jobs throughout Canada, this great country. That makes the natural resources sector a leading private sector employer of indigenous Canadians. What is more, the indigenous population is young and growing at a time when there will be an increasing number of opportunities in these sectors over the coming years. Yet we know the strong leadership in indigenous communities is also an integral part of responsibly developing Canada's natural resources, as more indigenous leaders take a proactive role in determining how their communities engage in resource development. We know that properly consulting those communities and leaders is paramount to ensuring that we get things right.
We also know that we need to do things differently. Yesterday, we heard the government deliver on a key promise to do just that. As the Minister of Natural Resources noted, the Government of Canada has taken an important first step to restoring the public's trust and faith in the way Canada reviews and assesses major resource projects. I am pleased to highlight today that the first step includes enhanced collaborations and consultations with indigenous populations, respecting their rights and interests. This is an important point. The Prime Minister has said that no relationship is as important to him as the one with indigenous peoples. This government has been very clear: It will begin to renew that relationship based on the recognition of rights, respect, collaboration, and partnership.
Yesterday's announcement also made our intentions clear. The government takes our consultation obligations very seriously. The Prime Minister has also said how “critically important it is for First Nations to be full partners at those tables where shared decisions about the future of our country are made, from resource development to environmental stewardship”. As we all know, consulting indigenous groups is already mandatory where a proposed activity may have an adverse impact on potential or established aboriginal and treaty rights. With this new development, the government is confirming our commitment to work even more closely with indigenous groups, building on the relationship that provides the foundation for proper and full consultation.
As the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the Minister of Natural Resources noted yesterday, the government will respect the rights and interests of indigenous peoples while responsibly supporting our natural resources sector, and it will make decisions based on science and evidence, including traditional knowledge from indigenous peoples. Hundreds of first nations, Métis nations, and Inuit groups may be impacted by projects like pipelines, and yesterday's announcement confirmed that this government is absolutely committed to seeking their views and input.
As announced, a process for those consultations will be developed and funding will be available for these groups to participate in those consultations. Currently, consultations with these groups are already integrated into environmental assessments, but it is clear that more must be done. Improvements to Canada's whole-of-government approach are needed to undertake these consultations and fulfill our legal duty to consult.
I would like to take a moment to shed further light on some of the steps being taken with respect to consultation with indigenous peoples. What is different after yesterday's announcement is threefold.
First, the government will take immediate steps to improve awareness of the environmental assessment process within indigenous communities through education and training programs.
Second, the government will promote early community engagement by proponents on upcoming project environmental assessments.
Third, it will enhance indigenous capacity to actively participate in project environmental assessments through improved participant funding, better integration of traditional knowledge, and the building of technical capacities within indigenous organizations.
Further, the government will meet with indigenous groups to determine the ways they would like to be engaged in the broader review.
The Government of Canada looks forward to providing further details on these steps over the coming weeks and months.
I firmly believe that working together is the best way to achieve our shared goal of healthier, more prosperous, self-sufficient indigenous communities. Indeed, it is the only way toward the nation-to-nation relationship that has been promised.
The Government of Canada is listening to indigenous groups and is renewing the relationship to advance reconciliation. When any project, energy or otherwise, may impact indigenous peoples, the government looks forward to continuing to work with all partners on shared solutions that can deliver positive results for those communities, not only for their benefit today but for future generations.