Our newsletter: 20 November 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney announces, at Terrace BC, seven projects of ‘national significance.’
PM’s projects include First Nations
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s addition of seven new projects to the federal Major Projects Office (MPO) list of ventures to be pushed and accelerated included two with major First Nations interest and involvement in BC:
- The Nisga’a Nation’s Ksi Lisims LNG project and its PRGT pipeline;
- BC Hydro’s North Coast Transmission Line (and the related “Northwest Critical Conservation Corridor.”)
Ottawa said Carney’s announcements “represent more than $56 billion in new investment.” That’s in addition to “$60 billion for in investments in nuclear power, LNG, critical minerals, and new trade corridors” that were announced in September.
PM Carney: “Unlocking these resources … will attract hundreds of billions of dollars in new investment and create thousands of high-paying careers for miners, carpenters, and engineers across the country.”
And Eva Clayton, Nisga’a president, and vice-chair of our Alliance, said: “We’re showing BC, Canada, and the world what Indigenous economic independence and shared prosperity can look like.” She spoke of “meaningful opportunities” for the Nisga’a — and for all Nations and communities in northern BC.
- Prime minister’s news release: https://ow.ly/hEva50Xsno4
- MPO backgrounder: https://ow.ly/37lG50XsnaI
- Nisga’a Nation news release: https://ow.ly/kUSK50XsnaJ
- BC government on the transmission line: https://ow.ly/qalZ50XsnbA
Front right: Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Prime Minister Mark Carney in Parliament, on budget day
For LNG, more federal carrot, less stick
The new federal Budget 2025 is being hailed as indicating “a change of tone” on natural-resource issues.
All in all, says Heather Exner-Pirot of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, the budget shows signs of a better mix of “carrot and stick” than did the Justin Trudeau government. “The last budget was still in the ‘stick’ era. Finally, we’re in a ‘carrot’ era.”
Among the carrots, the budget speech on Nov. 4 made some promises that sound positive about LNG and other natural resources, as Ottawa spoke of making Canada a “clean-energy superpower.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ksi Lisims LNG will add $4 billion a year to the nation’s economy. He promised “huge financing” aimed at encouraging Indigenous equity ownership of resource projects.
- Read more in our latest blog: https://ow.ly/JOY250Xsng2
Indigenous Partnerships Showcase Awards
Honoured with awards at the Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase (IPSS) event in Vancouver were Crystal Smith, Strategic Advisor on External Relations for the Alliance, and former Alliance chair, and Karen Ogen, Alliance CEO.
Crystal was recognized as Indigenous Business Leader of the Year, and Karen for Excellence in Indigenous-Corporate Partnership.
Also honoured, with a Lifetime Achievement award for Indigenous Economic Advancement, was Ellis Ross, former chief councillor of the Haisla Nation, and now a Conservative MP and vice-chair of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.
In the photos above: At left, Crystal Smith is with Stewart Muir, CEO of Resource Works and founder of the IPSS conference. At right, Karen Ogen, holding her award paddle (carved by Kwakwaka’wakw artist Ross Henderson) is with award presenter Lana Eagle.
- Learn more: https://ow.ly/aKiN50XtgTa
The Haisla Nation’s LNG journey
The journey was a long road from managing hardship to building opportunity.
Catch the video interview by Crystal Smith, former elected chief councillor of the Haisla Nation (and now Strategic Advisor on External Relations to our Alliance) with Stewart Muir of Resource Works: https://ow.ly/hRuY50XolrN
First Nations and clean energy
- How a geothermal project of the Fort Nelson First Nation, led by two women, could deliver dependable electricity and heat to one of BC’s most remote communities: https://ow.ly/ONry50XtPQY
- Manitoba Hydro and Fisher River Cree Nation sign agreement that could include expansion of the Nation’s solar farm, and a natural-gas connection: https://ow.ly/OMwu50Xsn55
- Inuit-led clean energy projects in the Nunavik region of Quebec are backed by over $6.8 million from the federal government: https://ow.ly/QQ3y50Xsn56
- Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation is a player in a $4.5-billion wind power project in Quebec: https://ow.ly/Jkr450Xu6tX
ALSO IN THE NEWS
- Canada is sprinting to build things it slow-walked for a decade through “regulatory paralysis.” And the sprint includes LNG and Indigenous LNG projects: https://ow.ly/kfUx50XpWmc
- New power projects and proposed data centres raise hope for Canada’s natural-gas industry: https://ow.ly/oSKr50XqCUh
- Our friends and allies need our natural gas and we need the economic boost that exporting it to them would provide: https://ow.ly/akzQ50XreKO
- The Canadian Chamber of Commerce named François Poirier, president and CEO of TC Energy, as a recipient of the 2026 Canadian Business Leader of the Year award: https://ow.ly/aByY50XpZfb (TC Energy is an affiliate partner of our Alliance: https://ow.ly/Nxl150WtYlF)
- AltaGas and Vopak’s expansion of their Prince Rupert liquified petroleum gas (LPG) port project will cost some $110 million: https://ow.ly/Ql3050XoZrz
- Thawing the freeze on natural-gas development in Treaty 8 territory in BC. Will direct tenure awards to First Nations unlock Montney gas? https://ow.ly/CJMh50XoZZ6
EVENTS
- Indian Resource Council, conference on ‘Unlock the pipeline gridlock.’ Nov. 25-27, Calgary: https://ow.ly/JaIS50XsTne Alliance CEO Karen Ogen and Alliance advisor Crystal Smith take part in a panel discussion on Wednesday the 26th.
- Canadian Council for Indigenous Business, Indigenous Procurement Event, Nov. 26, Winnipeg: https://ow.ly/bVJy50WlJkb
- Webinar: Women Talking Policy, Nov. 26: https://ow.ly/p8We50XsVzz
- Indigenous Works webinar: Reconciliation in 2025: Understanding the post-federal election landscape, Nov. 27: https://ow.ly/6evU50Xowl8
- First Nations Climate Initiative forum: Climate Solutions Reimagined, Dec. 3-4, Vancouver, in person or via Zoom: https://ow.ly/knLw50Xww8R
- First Nations clean-energy and electricity summit, Dec. 8-9, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/GKbx50WQHzJ
- First Nations Investment Forum, Dec. 8-10, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/r7SK50XjGq5
- GLJ Sustainability & Emissions Management Webinar, Energy & Trade: The Canadian Opportunity, Dec. 9: https://ow.ly/bT2n50XsWhw
2026
- BC Natural Resources Forum, Jan. 20-22, Prince George: https://ow.ly/71Y250Wj0zL
- Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, Economic Outlook Forum, Jan. 29, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/pIlz50Xf8TW
- Assembly of First Nations, National Natural Resources Forum, Feb. 10-11, Calgary: https://ow.ly/HIG650Xp5v6
- Canadian Gas Association, CGA Energy Security Summit, March 10-11, Ottawa: https://ow.ly/6FLp50VQu0N
- The Indigenous Forward Summit (West Coast): March 11-12, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/QuVk50Xri0Q
- Nation2Nation Women’s Gathering, April 23-24, Prince George: https://ow.ly/sBxu50XsTSZ
- Public Policy Forum’s Canada Growth Summit, May 7, Toronto: https://ow.ly/ikCs50WGyYr
- The Indigenous Forward Summit (West), May 13-14, Calgary: https://ow.ly/pgku50XrhQ7
- Global Energy Show Canada, June 9-11, Calgary: https://ow.ly/NnlW50XffWC
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