"The prime minister has said that Canada is built on the bedrock of three peoples, First Nations, French and British. But there is no getting around the fact that First Nations have inhabited these territories long before any colonial borders were established," National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said in her opening remarks at the gathering on Monday.

"That is why we are here, to build prosperity and well-being for our children and the next seven generations. It can't just be about ramming through major projects as fast as we can."

Monday’s meeting is the first such gathering since the Kelowna Accord talks of 2005, which brought premiers and then-prime minister Paul Martin together with Indigenous leaders to discuss ways to close the socioeconomic gaps in Indigenous communities.

This meeting comes as Carney's government works to speed up major project approvals and development — efforts some First Nations chiefs say threaten their rights.

Tensions between Ottawa and First Nations spiked soon after Carney was elected in 2025 when his government passed legislation to create a new office tasked with streamlining major project developments and approving projects within one year.

First Nations leaders warned the compressed timelines would interfere with their rights and lead to court challenges. Provincial governments have enacted similar legislation.

But tensions are boiling over for a number of other reasons as well, including the lands claim process in British Columbia, the newly announced Pacific Link pipeline project in Alberta and development of the mineral-rich Ring of Fire in Ontario.

First Nations are being represented in the closed-door meeting largely by regional chiefs from the Assembly of First Nations. A delegation of modern treaty holders and representatives from Treaties 6, 7 and 8 is also attending the meeting.

Carney said Monday it's "sobering" to consider that this is the first meeting to bring together federal, provincial and First Nations leaders in two decades.

"Our task is twofold. First is to work together to create opportunities for all our peoples, while building a country that is stronger, more sovereign and more independent," Carney said.

"And secondly, our task is to live our values fully of a fair and inclusive Canada."

While some First Nations are opposed to Carney's development agenda and those of the premiers, others are open to the idea of increasing economic activity in their territories.

Nisga'a Nation President Eva Clayton told reporters ahead of the meeting she supports Carney's plans and that she and other modern treaty holders are at the meeting to support Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2026.

1219