Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew is setting his government apart from neighbouring provinces by insisting he doesn't need Ottawa's controversial legislation to fast-track major resource projects.

His government can break ground on the kinds of projects Ottawa wants by involving Indigenous communities from the start, he said.

"In other parts of the country with other levels of government, there's the commitment to maybe push things through with legislation first," Kinew told reporters this week.

"That puts other partners on the back foot."

A lack of upfront consultation is why Manitoba didn't sign on to a recent memorandum of understanding with Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario to explore the feasibility of a new west-east pipeline — even though it would run through Kinew's province.

Kinew

See Full Page