Overview

• Chief Tamara Young told lawmakers that consultation must be more than an afterthought or a box-checking exercise
• Patrick Butler confirmed chiefs were excluded from March legislation that removed a uranium ban and fracking moratorium
• The Natural Resources Department issued a request for proposals for uranium exploration at three sites earlier this month without prior Mi’kmaq input
• Butler described the relationship with the department as "rocky and inconsistent" and emphasized the need for earlier engagement
• Deputy minister Karen Gatien said the government remains committed to consultations and agreed they should occur sooner where possible