səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), People of the Inlet, is joining the chorus of First Nations, pro-democracy organizations, environmental groups, and civil society in raising grave concerns about Bill C-5, the so-called Building Canada Act.

We have serious concerns about C-5 and it’s undemocratic and likely unconstitutional process for fast-tracking mega projects without review. We, as Tsleil-Waututh, are not anti-development. We support a sustainable economy and recognize the recent changes in global trade dynamics, but Canada cannot bypass our inherent and constitutionally protected rights and ignore the climate crisis any longer.

C-5 is supposed to speed up project reviews by allowing for pre-approval with very little information. But running roughshod over Indigenous rights will not speed anything up: projects will inevitably end up in court, which will cause even further delay. Even worse, C-5 will unravel years of reconciliation efforts by governments, companies, and Canadians.

Our experience with opposing the Trans Mountain Expansion Project from the start is instructive. The Government of Canada built it despite our clear, informed decision to not consent to the project. To date, neither Trans Mountain nor the Government of Canada has addressed the significant impacts this project has – and continues to have daily – on our community, territorial waters, and ability to exercise our Indigenous rights.

We have a sacred, legal obligation to protect and steward səlilwət (Burrard Inlet) and our traditional territory. Under Canadian law, Canada has a constitutional obligation to uphold our rights and way of life. There is an opportunity to work together, but to address the significant legal risk to Canada and our concerns, we need to sit at the decision-making table.

hay čxʷ q̓ə, thank you,

Chief Jen Thomas, on behalf of səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) Council