The New Democrats say that both Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals have a track record of trampling the rights of Indigenous Peoples and fighting them in court — and that the NDP will take reconciliation seriously by standing up for those rights.
During a news conference held Friday, Churchill-Keewatinook Aski MP Niki Ashton was joined by Sault Ste. Marie-Algoma NDP candidate Laura Mayer to jointly criticize Prime Minister Mark Carney for his business dealings during his time as vice-chair and head of environment, social and governance at Brookfield Asset Management.
Ashton referenced a legal battle where Mississauga First Nation took both Ontario and Brookfield Renewable Energy to court in 2022, over what the First Nation called a ‘backdoor attempt’ at deregulating hydroelectric dams across the province, including four hydroelectric dams on the Mississagi River that are owned by Brookfield and regulated by the province.
“While Carney was pretending to make the world a more sustainable place as vice-chair of environmental social governance at Brookfield, the reality was very different,” said Ashton.
“Under Carney’s environmental leadership, Brookfield trampled on First Nations rights and fought them in court every step of the way.
“Nothing could be more clear than what Mississauga First Nation has had to deal with — privatization, back-door deregulation — fighting for their rights.”
Mayer, who is a member of Mississauga First Nation, says that when governments talk about spending less and investing more, it means private interests get prioritized over relationships with Indigenous Peoples, which are in turn “disregarded.”
“New Democrats believe that reconciliation is not optional. It’s not just a line in a speech, it’s a responsibility,” Mayer said during Friday’s news conference.
“It means real partnerships, real infrastructure, real nation-to-nation relationships — and New Democrats know that everyone needs to be at the table to get the work done.”
Ashton says that reconciliation means “real partnerships, real infrastructure, real nation-to-nation relationships.”
“When they see the north — when they see our region — they see resources, they see land. But they don’t see the people,” Ashton said. “Let’s be clear, the Liberals have only ever acted when the NDP pushes them to do so.
“Today, we have a message for Mark Carney: In 2025, this is not acceptable. What you and your company have done is not acceptable, and what you have done so far as Liberal leader is not what reconciliation is all about.”
SooToday has reached out to the Office of the Prime Minister for comment.
Carney is expected to call an election on Sunday for a vote as early as April 28.
This will be Canada's 45th federal election.
- with files from The Canadian Press