Indigenous youth lead protest in Timmins over Bill 5

CTV News

9 hours ago

Indigenous youth led a protest Friday at the Mountjoy Conservation Historical Area in Timmins. The group rallied against Bill 5.
An Indigenous, youth-led protest was held in Timmins on Friday at the Mountjoy Conservation Historical Area.
The group rallied against Bill 5, new provincial legislation aimed at fast-tracking projects in areas the government deems 'special economic zones.'
Protest1
Youth Rising Together Protest on Friday at Mountjoy Historical Conservation Area in Timmins brought together dozens of Indigenous people from throughout northeastern Ontario to protest Bill 5.
(Lydia Chubak/CTV News)
Protest2
Youth Rising Together Protest on Friday at Mountjoy Historical Conservation Area in Timmins brought together dozens of Indigenous people from throughout northeastern Ontario to protest Bill 5.
(Lydia Chubak/CTV News)
'We don't want to be refugees on our own land,' said Mike Metatawabin, deputy grand chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation.
'We need to be equal beneficiaries of what they take.'
Dozens joined the event on only two days' notice to fight against a bill they said doesn't respect treaty or Indigenous rights.
'This is directly to Doug Ford … don't forget our population of Indigenous people is growing three times (faster than) the national average,' said Jennifer Constant, chief of Mattagami First Nation.
'You are going to be dealing with us in the future because we will be the majority, so what's happening here today is a symbol of that, and it's only going to grow stronger as the years go by.'
After the rally, the group marched to Timmins city hall.
'We need our city to recognize it as well and to support us to because we are all treaty people,' said Shem Mattinas, organizer of the Youth Rising Together Protest.
Protest3
Youth Rising Together Protest on Friday at Mountjoy Historical Conservation Area in Timmins brought together dozens of Indigenous people from throughout northeastern Ontario to protest Bill 5.
(Lydia Chubak/CTV News)
'That is why we're marching over there, so that we could hope to get the support of not only the mayor, the mayor's office and council, but of everybody in Timmins because Bill 5 will affect all Ontarians, not just First Nations.'
Timmins is within Treaty Nine territory, which was signed in 1905 on the banks of the Albany River.