When Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew spoke to the Assembly of First Nations last week, he positioned his NDP government as taking the unique approach of engaging Indigenous communities in major project development.

But one chief in the crowd who claims his First Nation has been sidelined on a highway project says the way the Kinew government behaves has only proven to be more of the same, despite the premier’s personal popularity among First Nations people.

Kinew told the assembly that while many jurisdictions are rushing toward infrastructure and resource projects, his government stands apart by applying the constitutional and respectful approach to ensuring Indigenous relationships and foresees it will be both effective and efficient.

“We kind of have an idea lab, a test experiment going on across the country right now with a bunch of different regions trying to pursue megaprojects all at the same time. A lot of them are putting the cart before the horse and trying to get shovels in the ground before they’ve done the work of making sure Indigenous communities and their representative leadership are onside,” Kinew told the assembly in Winnipeg on September 3.

Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation Chief Leon Mandamin at the Assembly of First Nations in Winnipeg. Photo by Jon Thompson

“Here in the province of Manitoba we’re saying, ‘we’re going to take the time to have those conversations first.’ You tell me if I’m wrong here, but I think that in the next few years, we’ll see that the approach that puts the conversation ahead of time gets things built faster – or at least as quickly as – anywhere in the country.”

Leon Mandamin was disappointed to hear it. The chief of Isatewizaagegan Independent First Nation, whose territory on Shoal Lake straddles the Ontario-Manitoba border along the Trans-Canada Highway, accuses the Kinew government of “manufacturing consent” by offering jobs and contracts to other local First Nations for twinning the highway, while leaving out his community, which is impacted the most.

Mandamin issued Kinew a four-page letter the following day, requesting an urgent meeting to “begin work on re-establishing a broken-down relationship with the government of Manitoba in the spirit of reconciliation.” It threatens Manitoba with legal injunction to stop the highway twinning for failing to consult and accommodate.

The letter, which is the third since mid-July, claims this summer’s construction saw a 700-metre stretch of Iskatewizaagegan’s territory expropriated by both levels of government for development. It expresses concern over the project’s ethical framework as the next stage enters its design phase.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew speaking to the Assembly of First Nations last week.

“MTI refuses to meaningfully engage and consult with IIFN in order to identify how its rights may be affected, and how to accommodate IIFN’s constitutionally-protected rights,” it reads. “MTI engages in a tokenistic, procedural-focused ‘consultation’ process, which fails to adequately resource IIFN’s participation in engagements and consultation.”

Manitoba notified Iskatewizaagegan that conceptual designs were underway in May 2023. While MTI identified “hunting and trapping,” Mandamin contends cultural spiritual areas, travel routes, and medicinal areas have all been left out, most notably the claims of elders that the proposed route would impact the community’s drinking water.

The province demanded a traditional land-use study be conducted in only four months without funding, which the First Nation produced “under duress.” In May 2025, the First Nation claims that the province rejected that study, “then presented a pre-packaged ‘consultation’ checklist attempting to steamroll through our concerns and tick their boxes.”

Then on August 12, Kinew personally crossed IIFN territory to Wauhushk Onigum First Nation, where he announced Manitoba had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for highway twinning with Niiwin Wendaanimok (Four Winds), a construction company owned by four other area First Nations. Mandamin claims he learned of Kinew’s trip from the news.

Iskatewizaagegan #39 First Nation is located 16 kilometres south of Trans-Canada Highway 17, just east of the Ontario-Manitoba border. Photo by Jon Thompson

Mandamin said it’s not too late to salvage the relationship, if Kinew begins to approach Iskatewizaagegan on nation-to-nation terms.

“I hope he responds in a good way,” he said in an interview. “When we hear about MOUs with the Four Winds, that’s manufacturing consent and that doesn’t sit well. It’s like they’re using other Indigenous people to get what the government wants. We’re the most impacted First Nation out there and just because we’re talking about treaty and Aboriginal rights doesn’t mean that you should ignore us.”

In a statement to Ricochet Media, Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor said she met with Iskatewizaagegan leaders in January, along with Minister of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures, Ian Bushie.

“I have met with Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation and my department continues to engage with them on the proposed highway twinning project,” Naylor’s statement reads. “Our government is committed to ongoing dialogue that respects Treaty rights while advancing transportation safety for Manitobans.”

A representative of Kinew’s office says the premier is also personally willing to meet with Mandamin.

Jon Thompson is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based in Thunder Bay. Contact him with tips and story ideas at Jon@ricochet.media.