First Nation leader says Bill 5 will spark protests, blockade of Hwy. 400
Shelly Moore-Frappier, Chief of the Temagami First Nation, joined Focus Ontario to discuss her opposition to Bill 5 and concern about how the legislation has been handled. She said protests would follow its passing this summer, including potentially shutting down the road to cottage country.
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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Land grab conspiracies spread alongside Canadian wildfires
"This isn't just wildfire policy -- it's a global land control strategy operating through 'sustainability' language," a June 1, 2025 Facebook post claims. The text claims the "Rio Law" is a global framework established to encourage sustainability that can be used to reclassify land in Canada for resource extraction and forbid residents from returning home after they are evacuated due to wildfires. The text spread across Facebook, Instagram and X partly echoing debunked theories about Agenda 21 and moves to push fire-displaced residents into "smart cities" where they will be subjected to strict technology surveillance or face restriction of movement. Simultaneously, users on Facebook and TikTok made additional claims about land grabs precipitated by wildfire evacuations invoking either controversy over Ontario province's Bill 5 or images of a possible pipeline route, which would supposedly cross Manitoba to reach Hudson's Bay. Conditions are primed for another massive wildfire season in Canada, as the over 3.6 million hectares (13.8 thousand square miles) of area burned so far in 2025 has already surpassed the year-to-date average for the past decade (archived here). More than 30,000 people have evacuated their homes in western Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba provinces, including remote Indigenous communities fleeing south. But as of June 12, some 7,000 evacuees in Saskatchewan province began returning home. Media report people will also soon be allowed to go back to communities Manitoba, but many areas remain under evacuation orders there and in neighboring Ontario. The fires hit as trade tensions with the United States have triggered the new federal government to open discussions about access to Canadian natural gas and coveted minerals. But the potential projects, including pipelines, raise concerns of environmental impact and Indigenous consent. Nevertheless, experts told AFP it was highly improbable for a wildfire to be used to intentionally target specific areas for resource exploitation. Mike Flannigan a professor of wildland fire at Thompson Rivers University (archived here) said a wildfire is defined by three factors: how it starts, what it can burn through, and the weather conditions around it. Many fires are started -- mostly unintentionally -- by humans, he said, but fuel and weather play too large of a role in where flames spread, making it nearly impossible to start a wildfire that could successfully target a premeditated location. Flannigan also pointed out that climate change creates conditions that suck up moisture from vegetation and generate stronger wind, a mix conducive to more unwieldy fires. "The drier the fuel, the easier it is for a fire to start," he told AFP on June 5. Wildland firefighters use burning techniques to impede the path of smaller and less intense fires and keep them away from populated areas (archived here), but Flannigan said once the blazes reach the tops of the trees -- also known as a crown fire (archived here) -- response becomes limited. "There's only two options then: one is evacuate, get out of the way until the weather changes or the fuels change, or do a burnout operation, which is where you get in front, where the wildfire is spreading, start a new fire that's fighting against it," he said. Hossein Bonakdari, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Ottawa (archived here), analyzed indicators such as leaf coverage and winter snow area to predict the probability of wildfire in certain parts of Canada. Even with these prediction tools, Bonakdari noted, a plethora of minute variables dictating a wildfire's spread exist, making it impossible to foresee whether it could reach a certain location. "I need a dataset of today to do the prediction for tomorrow," he said on June 6. While the claim that wildfires could be used to clear certain areas for resource extraction may be unsubstantiated, concerns about infringement on Indigenous treaty rights in relation to Ontario's Bill 5 exist (archived here). The legislation gives the province authority to declare "special economic zones" (archived here), overriding local laws for resource projects in a move that Indigenous leaders say will conflict with the government's treaty obligations. Ontario Premier Doug Ford plans, for example, on extracting minerals from the Ring of Fire deposit in the north of the province. Other Canadian premiers also recently floated the idea of a pipeline through Manitoba to end in Hudson's Bay, similar to what has been referenced in some land grab claims online. Using reverse image search, AFP traced the map in those posts to a 2023 blog proposing a path for pipelines (archived here). However, no formalized proposals for such a project could be found. The posts also misrepresent the 1992 Rio Declaration (archived here). The document produced at the United Nations' Earth Summit does not mention removing people from land. Rather, it lays out principles of protecting environmental and developmental systems, to which it says states should agree. AFP previously debunked claims about resident displacement to extract resources following hurricane evacuations. Read more of AFP's reporting on wildfire misinformation here.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Stratford citizens express concern over recently passed Bill 5
Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, passed its third reading and received royal assent at the Ontario legislature this month. Although much of the discourse surrounding it has been focused on communities in northern Ontario, some in Stratford believe that it has far reaching consequences – and that Stratford citizens should be concerned. 'There are elements of the act that dismantle environmental protection,' Bill James-Abra of Climate Momentum said. 'That is part of it. The other part was the whole tone of the act is part of this process the government's doing of … dismantling local decision-making power and dismantling the voice of local communities to have some say in how development happens. 'If this law had been in place, I'm fairly confident when the Xinyi glass plant was proposed for Stratford, we wouldn't have had any say … it sounds over dramatic, but the law makes it possible for things like our Cooper site to be effectively taken over by the cabinet in Toronto for their hand picked developers to do what they please. It's offensive and it's wrong.' As James-Abra indicated, Bill 5 amends and replaces the Endangered Species Act (once touted as the gold standard of conservation legislation) with the Species Conservation Act, but it also gives the province the special power to establish 'special economic zones.' These zones can be designated anywhere in Ontario and can exempt a company, referred in the legislation as a 'trusted proponent,' or project from complying with provincial laws, regulations or municipal bylaws, as determined by the province. The Province of Ontario proposed the bill in the first place to 'cut red tape and duplicative processes that have held back major infrastructure, mining and resource development projects.' It is intended to make the province more competitive on the global stage, streamlining processes, lowering costs, and shortening review times. In a previous discussion on the 2025 provincial budget, Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae reiterated his party's stance on the bill and said it is necessitated by the uncertain times Ontario and Canada is in. 'Some have described it as an economic war with our U.S. colleagues, and we really need to get things built quickly in a timely manner,' Rae said. 'Bill 5 in particular is looking at mines in northern Ontario. It takes 15 years on average in Ontario to build a mine. That takes five to seven years in the E.U. or Australia.' Rae further said that every U.S. state has a version of a special economic zone and many countries use them as a planning tool. 'If you want investment to happen in the province, you need to facilitate investment … no argument here on that,' James-Abra said in response. 'But it seems the government can't conceive of the possibility that you could do that collaboratively.' Before the bill was officially adopted, Climate Momentum held a 'postcard party' where they invited those interested to a drop-in party at the Falstaff Family Centre. There, they could write or sign custom postcards to be hand delivered to provincial representatives. 'We were really pleased,' James-Abra said about the turnout. 'We ended up with more than 125 handwritten postcards. We had moms and dads coming in with their school-aged kids to write cards together. We had high school students dropping in. We had university students home for the summer break and everything from grandparents to grandkids writing cards.' On May 30, Climate Momentum delivered those letters to Rae's Stratford office. On Monday, after representatives partook in the Pride parade over the weekend, a few more were delivered as well. Now that the bill has received royal ascent, keeping focus on it will be more difficult, James-Abra acknowledged, but his organization will consult with other larger advocacy groups to see what could be done moving forward. On whether or not he has hope that the province will listen to criticism on the bill's measures, he had his doubts – but he still had hope. 'There's an old proverb about how paths are made by walking,' he said. 'There are places where today there are no paths, and in time there will be a path. And it will be made because people walked it. … I'm hopeful. I wouldn't be doing this work if I wasn't.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Saugeen First Nation, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and County of Bruce hold second annual joint meeting on June 5
WALKERTON - The second annual joint meeting of Saugeen First Nation, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and County of Bruce continued the steps forward in forming, in the words of CAO Christine MacDonald, 'a unique government-to-government relationship' based on respect and mutual interests. Warden Luke Charbonneau (Saugeen Shores) said, 'This meeting represents more than a continuing partnership; it's a meaningful opportunity to walk together in building relationships, fostering open dialogue and collaborating on shared priorities.' The special meeting on June 5 included an update on the various projects in progress with the Saugeen Anishnaabek Reconciliation Pathway and Action Plan, with a gratifying number of items marked 'completed.' Those present for the joint meeting also discussed the county's draft land acknowledgement protocol, 'guided by the principles of truth, respect, recognition, responsibility and collaborative relations.' Charbonneau noted the county has waited to adopt a land acknowledgement until 'we could do so with integrity, in alignment with our commitments under the Indigenous Reconciliation Framework and the Saugeen Anishnaabek Reconciliation Pathway and Action Plan.' The final item was the Saugeen Anishnaabek Engagement Circle – a proposed joint governance structure for engagement with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON). Charbonneau thanked everyone for their 'leadership and dedication to these efforts' and said he looked forward to the 'discussion, and continued collaboration, in strengthening our communities and our shared future.' He invited Chief Greg Nadjiwon of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation to share a few words. Nadjiwon said, 'We're kind of trailing when it comes to promoting economic development, and we're working hard to change that. … We need advocacy, and so I've been meeting with the others to … try to promote developments like the stored energy project (in Meaford) … our task of trying to get a service centre up and running … on the south hill of Wiarton, which involves two municipalities, South Bruce Peninsula and Georgian Bluffs. Our intentions are to create own-source funding so we can … walk down a road of self-determination. Self determination is only a pipe dream, unless you have the resources to promote different initiatives, on all levels – recreation, health, literacy – the list is long. That's where we are right now.' He went on to say, 'I, as a chief, have worked hard to promote economic activity,' a task he likened to 'trying to push a greasy rock uphill; other times you're trying to run ahead of it so it doesn't crash into you. 'That's where we are as a First Nation,' he said. 'We're all about relationships.' Nadjiwon said, 'Yesterday a bill was passed - everyone in the room is aware of Bill 5 – it's going to cause concerns for us. We're not about stopping development. We're about doing development with method.' He commented that after watching Prime Minister Mark Carney and the premiers, it seems they're 'reading the play book of the person they're accusing of creating an economic crisis. I'm talking about the president south of the border whose battle cry is, 'Drill, drill, drill!' … I don't think you can follow that play book and have as much concern as you should for the Territory. I'm talking about the SON Territory, but I'm also talking about your towns, your villages … development should and will happen, but it's up to all of us to be the overseers, the ones that make sure it's done with method, to make sure we're not doing damage to the land … when we do damage to the lake, it's very hard to bring health back to it.' He concluded, 'These are concerns, major concerns. We, as much as you, work with the major corporations … Bruce Power, OPG and others … they bring wealth, they bring jobs, they bring opportunities … but you always have to have oversight, and we rely on you to advocate as mayors and others, to provide that oversight. … When we work together, we'll go forward in a real positive manner.' Chief Conrad Ritchie of Saugeen First Nation was unable to attend the meeting. Those present for the joint meeting had the opportunity to hear and comment on the two reports presented for information. Regarding the 2025 report on the reconciliation pathway and action plan, MacDonald noted staff have enjoyed working together with their SON counterparts. She said one action in the plan is complete, with 28 underway. MacDonald highlighted one project – drafting the Saugeen Anishnaabek Engagement Circle which forms a joint governance structure. That draft was considered and endorsed by all parties later in the meeting. MacDonald also highlighted the fact that over the last few years, 468 – over half – of the total number of county staff have received training and learning circles. The second report presented at the special meeting was about the land acknowledgement and protocol. Bruce County has adopted the land acknowledgment recommended by the SON Environmental Office: 'I want to acknowledge the Traditional Territory of the Anishinabek Nation: The People of the Three Fires known as Ojibway, Odawa, and Pottawatomie Nations. And further give thanks to the Chippewas of Saugeen, and the Chippewas of Nawash, now known as the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, as the traditional keepers of this land.' Miptoon, an elder and band councillor for Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, said it was about 'working together and walking together,' something that 'we should have done quite a few years ago.' He said the 'working together and walking together got started with Every Child Matters, when he and others came to Walkerton to walk together – and have continued doing so for the last four years. 'We did walk together, carrying those flags,' he said, adding that Land Acknowledgements are very important to every one of us. 'I would prefer that you memorize it in your heart – don't read it off, because it's not that long.' Commented Warden Luke Charbonneau (Saugeen Shores), 'I'm glad we waited and took the time to make sure it was meaningful and genuine, and said the right things.' He added that he'd take to heart what Miptoon had said, and would memorize the Land Acknowledgement, so he could say it as it should be spoken. The final item, the Saugeen Anishnaabek Engagement Circle – a proposed joint governance structure for engagement – received the endorsement of all present. As described by MacDonald, the circle will 'provide a co-ordinated and resourced approach to engagement of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation to ensure there is no undue burden, and that Saugeen Anishnaabek voices are active in county work aligned with the Pathway and Action Plan, and ensure that we can continue to walk together.' The circle would be comprised of members of Saugeen First Nation, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, Bruce County council, SON elders and knowledge keepers, SON youth, and non-Indigenous youth. MacDonald said the same information before Bruce County council will be taken to the two band councils, and presented to members. Miptoon said, 'Next steps are very important to us. First we were taking baby steps, now we're taking big steps. … Guys, this is a giant step for us. It can only happen when we walk together. … It's been a couple of years in the making, but here we are today, on the verge of doing something that's good, not only for Bruce County, but for all counties, to take the example that it's possible and achievable to work with the First Nations in the area. … We need to be together, and fight the governments together … we can do it. I'm excited that we're just about there.' He concluded by endorsing the Saugeen Anishnaabek Engagement Circle approach. Several members of Bruce County council also endorsed it, with County Coun. Kenneth Craig commenting the First Nations concept of the circle is reflected in the circular council table around which all the representatives of the three groups sat and engaged in discussion. Charbonneau wrapped up the meeting by commenting that he looks forward to the next joint meeting, and the ones after that. He expressed gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to move the process forward. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
