HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia Assembly of Mi鈥檏maw Chiefs says the provincial government needs to do a better job of consultation as it pushes to develop the province鈥檚 natural resources.
Chief Tamara Young, of Pictou Landing First Nation, told the legislature鈥檚 natural resources committee Tuesday that the chiefs have 鈥渟erious concerns鈥 over how recent decisions have been made without advance notice.
鈥淲e should not hear about important developments that Nova Scotia is making from the evening news,鈥 said Young. 鈥淭his includes when policy or legislative changes are being proposed in the mining sector.鈥
In March, the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Tim Houston passed legislation that lifted a long-standing ban on uranium exploration and mining and a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. Houston has said the legislative changes were needed to boost the province鈥檚 economy as it deals with the challenges posed by U.S. tariffs.
However, the chiefs responded by issuing a news release on March 28 saying they were firmly opposed to any legislation that opens the door to hydraulic fracturing, a process more commonly known as fracking.
The chiefs said they were considering legal action and they accused the province of making decisions on unceded and traditional Mi鈥檏maq territory without properly consulting them.
Young told the committee it was time for the government to re-engage in consultations that are 鈥渆arly, consistent and meaningful.鈥
鈥淐onsulting the Mi鈥檏maq is simply not a box to be checked,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e will not support any process that treats our constitutional rights as an afterthought.鈥
Young also called on the province to update its consultation practices and to involve the Mi鈥檏maq in shaping the changes.
鈥淭here must be transparency and predictability around what triggers the duty to consult, including mining projects on private lands,鈥 she said.
Earlier this month the province updated its list of priority critical minerals to include uranium and also announced that it was issuing a request for proposals for uranium exploration at three privately owned sites.
A mineral can be added to the list based on certain factors, including whether they can help the province meet its emission targets or global demand. The priority list is also meant to highlight minerals of strategic economic importance for the province.
Patrick Butler, senior Mi鈥檏maq energy and mines adviser, confirmed during the hearing that chiefs were also not consulted about the move to boost uranium exploration.
Butler described the relationship with the Natural Resources Department as 鈥渞ocky and inconsistent,鈥 over the last year, although he said there is a mineral resource working group that had established 鈥渁 good working relationship鈥 in the past.
鈥淚t has been very difficult in trying to keep up with the changes,鈥 he said.
The department鈥檚 deputy minister, Karen Gatien, said the government is committed to consultations, but she agreed that it should be done earlier where possible.
Gatien told the committee that future consultation would occur 鈥減roject by project.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult for us right now to consult on something that doesn鈥檛 exist in terms of a concrete project in a particular area, but I think it will be really important to have rigorous consultation and meaningful consultation as the projects get developed,鈥 said Gatien.
The deputy minister confirmed to reporters following the hearing that there were no formal documents or communications with the chiefs to inform them of the government鈥檚 legislative changes.
Meanwhile, the committee also heard from mining industry representatives Tuesday who called for major changes to the province鈥檚 permitting process for mining development, which they described as too lengthy and a hindrance to investment.
鈥淧ermitting is a major bottleneck in the process, that is why jurisdictions across Canada and around the world are taking steps to expedite permitting while continuing to ensure the highest environmental standards are applied,鈥 said Sean Kirby, executive director of the Mining Association of Nova Scotia.
Kirby called for permitting to come under a single department, saying the process is currently handled across several.
鈥淲e are not asking for regulatory oversight to be less stringent, our concerns are with red tape, unclear requirements and lengthening timelines,鈥 he said.
This report by 春色直播was first published May 27, 2025.
