This month on Off the Hill, our guests examined the tension between the federal government’s push for pipeline development and its commitments to Indigenous Peoples.
While the Throne Speech pledged to advance reconciliation, and respect free, prior and informed consent, the push for more pipelines seems to contradict those promises. Can Canada expand pipelines while honouring Indigenous rights? And how do these plans interfere with Canada’s climate commitments?
This panel took place on Wednesday on June 18, 2025. It featured Eriel Deranger, executive director of Indigenous Climate Action; Clayton Thomas-Müller, author and activist; Sabrina Grover, political strategist and communications expert; former NDP MPP Joel Harden; and rabble’s own parliamentary reporter Karl Nerenberg.
About our guests
Eriel Tchekwie Deranger is a member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN), executive director/founder of Indigenous Climate Action (ICA) and 2024 winner of the global Climate Breakthrough award. Eriel is active in international Indigenous rights advocacy movements participating in various boards and UN bodies. Her work focuses on Indigenous rights, climate justice and intersectional movements. She is recognized for her role as spokesperson for her community in the international Indigenous Tar Sands Campaign. Prior to this she was a Specific Land Claims and Treaty Land Entitlement Researcher for the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations. Eriel has written for various magazines and publications; featured in documentary films including Elemental (2012); and is regularly interviewed for national and international media outlets.
Clayton Thomas-Müller is a member of the Treaty #6 based Mathias Colomb Cree Nation also known as Pukatawagan located in Northern Manitoba, Canada. He has campaigned in and out of Canada, to support Indigenous Peoples to defend their territories against the encroachment of the fossil fuel industry. He is an award winning film director, media producer, organizer, facilitator, public speaker and bestselling author. His book, Life in the City of Dirty Water, was a national bestseller and a CBC Canada Reads finalist.
Sabrina Grover is an experienced political, advocacy and communications professional with an expertise in the international development and global health and nutrition sectors. Grover served as the campaign manager for the Mark Sutcliffe Campaign for Mayor in Ottawa, and in 2021 Sabrina ran as the Federal Liberal Candidate for Calgary-Centre. She also sits on the board of several organizations including the Public Affairs Association of Canada, the Sled Island Music Festival and HomeSpace where she primarily supports stakeholder relations and building partnerships with government and private sector partners. She’s also a frequent political commentator on CBC Calgary, CTV Power Play and the Vassy Kapelos Show.
Joel Harden is a lifelong community organizer who represented Ottawa Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2018 to 2025 as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party. During his time at Queen’s Park, Harden served as the party’s Critic for Transit and Active Transportation, where he championed accessible, affordable and sustainable public transit solutions across the province.
Karl Nerenberg is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and filmmaker, working in both English and French languages. He is rabble’s senior parliamentary reporter.
About Off the Hill
Since 2019, Off the Hill has been rabble.ca’s live political panel. Through this series, we break down important national and international news stories through a progressive lens.
This webinar series invites a rotating roster of guest activists, politicians, researchers and more to discuss how to mobilize and bring about progressive change in national politics — on and off Parliament Hill. Co-hosted by Robin Browne and Libby Davies.
