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The Yellowhead Brief

The Indian Department

The New Impact Assessment Regime: Cooperation Agreements, the Return of Provincial Power & Discretionary Indigenous Rights

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Following Canada’s push for accelerated resource development, new “Cooperation Agreements” between the federal and provincial governance promise faster approvals for industry. In this Brief, Hayden King examines these agreements and finds that there are trade-offs for efficiency and coordination. This approach hands more authority to provincial governments, many already facing criticism for weak environmental oversight and inadequate consultation with Indigenous communities, and raises concerns about how Indigenous rights will be respected when the federal government abdicates its responsibilites.

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Colonization is not Good Work: Entanglements of Public Service Labour, Budget Cuts & “Indian Departments”

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The 2025 Federal Budget made cuts to Crown Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services Canada. While Indigenous leaders and unions protested the reductions, Shady Hafez offers some perspective: these “Indian Departments” are tasked with administering colonization. Considering their history and many recent failures, these departments should face cuts and those resources allocated directly to communities instead. Additionally, public sector unions must reconcile their calls for justice for Indigenous people with their ongoing support of a colonial bureaucracy.

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“Fast-Track” to Disaster: BC’s Bill 14/15, Indigenous Rights & the Climate Crisis

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Janna Wale and Michaela McGuire review BC’s Bill 14 and 15, finding much to be concerned about and an urgency to address it. These concerns relate to Indigenous rights but also the health of the environment — both of which appear to be sacrificed for “fast-tracked” industrial development in the province.

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The Elbows are Up: Ontario’s “Special Economic Zones” and Indigenous Rights

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his week, despite clear opposition from Indigenous leaders, Ontario passed Bill C-5, a sweeping piece of legislation that weakens environmental protections and undermines the Duty to Consult. By creating “Special Economic Zones” and exempting major projects like the Eagle’s Nest Mine from assessment, the province has taken a significant step toward sidelining Indigenous rights and public oversight.

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