Latest news with #AskiNation
Hamilton Spectator
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Doug Ford accused of ‘racist' comments ahead of meeting with First Nations chiefs
Premier Doug Ford is being accused of making 'deeply offensive and racist' remarks about First Nations on the eve of a key meeting with Indigenous chiefs. Amid controversy about fast-tracked mining projects, Ford is sitting down with dozens of Anishinabek Nation chiefs Thursday at Queen's Park to address their concerns over Bill 5. But on Wednesday in St. Catharines, his off-the-cuff comments about how the law would help improve economic opportunities for remote First Nations communities sparked a firestorm. 'There's an opportunity of a lifetime for them. We're giving them $3 billion with a B … to be equity partners, to make their communities more prosperous and wealthier and have services they've never had before,' said Ford, adding 'there's going to be a point that you can't just keep coming hat in hand all the time to the government. 'You've got to be able to take care of yourselves — and when you literally have gold mines, nickel mines, every type of critical mineral that the world wants, and you're saying, 'No, no, I don't want to touch that, by the way, give me money.' Not going to happen. It's simple,' he said. NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong) said those comments 'prove that the premier has a fundamental lack of understanding of Ontario's treaty relationship with First Nations.' 'The premier's remarks today were deeply offensive and racist. He is trying to create divisions in our province and is taking us back,' said Mamakwa, whose riding near Kenora includes the Ring of Fire mining project that Bill 5 is meant to expedite. While the ' Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act ,' was passed last week , the Progressive Conservatives are scrambling to tackle some of its outstanding problems in regulation. Opponents warn the legislation infringes upon First Nation treaty rights and undermines protections for the environment and endangered species because of new 'special economic zones' designed to rush project approvals. Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario, said Ford's 'remarks are offensive, rooted in racism and colonial violence.' 'We are coming from generations of unresolved treaty rights, stolen lands and broken promises,' Fiddler, an outspoken critic of Bill 5 who won't be at Thursday's confab, wrote on social media. 'Our Nations have taken care of ourselves long before your government existed. You are the one begging for our resources.' Ford's meeting will take place just steps from an Indigenous encampment protest against his contentious new law in city-run Queen's Park behind the legislature. The Anishinabek Nation, which represents 39 First Nations across Ontario, also opposed the legislation, noting it 'undermines the principles of lawful consultation, environmental due process, Inherent Rights, Aboriginal Title, and Aboriginal Treaty (protected) Rights — all of which are foundational to a stable and predictable investment environment.' 'While this bill may promise short-term regulatory shortcuts, it will almost certainly result in long-term delays, legal battles, and reputational damage for companies involved,' the group said in a statement two weeks ago. The New Democrats, Liberals and Greens all voted against Bill 5 last Wednesday. But the Tories insist the law, which is similar to the federal Bill C-5 being rammed through by Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberals , is required to get projects approved within in two years instead of 15. Both Carney and Ford argue the trade war launched against Canada by U.S. President Donald Trump has necessitated the need for speeding up approvals to boost the domestic economy.
Winnipeg Free Press
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Last-minute changes to Ontario mining bill are not good enough, First Nations say
TORONTO – Ontario First Nations say the provincial government's last-minute changes to a controversial mining bill are not good enough and have come too late. Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario, says the province should scrap Bill 5 and draft new legislation alongside Indigenous leadership. The proposed law seeks to speed up the development of large projects such as mines, and while First Nations are not necessarily opposed to such moves, they want a seat at the decision-making table. The legislation proposes to create so-called 'special economic zones' that would suspend provincial and municipal laws for certain projects. The province intends to name the Ring of Fire as the first such zone, but ministers have promised that affected First Nations will be consulted first. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. A filibuster by New Democrats and Liberals forced a delay in the committee process to adopt the bill, but the province still hopes to pass the bill into law next week. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.
Toronto Star
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Road, rail and mine blockades could be on horizon over Ontario mining bill: chiefs
TORONTO - Road, rail and mine blockades could be on the horizon, First Nations leaders said Monday, as they ratchet up pressure on the Ontario government to kill a proposed bill that seeks to speed up large mining projects in the north. Provincial ministers, meanwhile, said they heard the outcry and will make improvements to Bill 5, but stopped short of suggesting they would eliminate it outright. 'We heard loud and clear that there's some things that they would like to see changed about this bill,' said Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'We've put some amendments forward and I know we'll be meeting with First Nations leadership as early as today to give effect to those and go from there. I'll say to sum up that the number of chiefs that I've talked to think we have a lot of room to move here.' Premier Doug Ford has agreed to sit down with Indigenous leaders to discuss the bill, Rickford added. But ministers would not answer whether the government is prepared to delay the bill's passage to pursue further consultation. The proposed law has sparked anger among First Nations, environmentalists and civil liberty groups who say the bill tramples rights and guts protections for endangered species. 'First Nations youth are rising up across the province and we are here to step up to protect our lands, our languages, and assert our inherent rights,' said Hannah Sewell, co-chair of Ontario's First Nations Young People's Council, at Queen's Park. 'When First Nations defend the land, we are also protecting our non-Indigenous kin — this is about all of us.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The province is set to create so-called special economic zones that would suspend provincial and municipal laws for certain projects. Ford has said the province intends to declare the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario one such zone. The region, some 450 kilometres north of Thunder Bay and more than 5,000 square kilometres in size, is said to be replete with critical minerals. One mine is currently proposed and more than 40,000 mining claims have been staked. Three nearby First Nations have agreed to shared-prosperity agreements with the province and two of them are conducting environmental assessments on three proposed roads to get to the Ring of Fire mining site. Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario, including those in and around the Ring of Fire, said young people are 'willing to do anything' to protect the land. 'I know that they are prepared to take action, and that is something that Doug Ford needs to be aware of,' Fiddler said after question period at the provincial legislature. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW And Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict of the Chiefs of Ontario, which represents all 133 First Nations in the province, warned of a repeat of the Idle No More movement that began in 2012 and led to countrywide protests, including road and rail blockades. 'A little over a decade ago, the government of Canada put forward an omnibus bill weakening environmental protections to speed up development,' Benedict told the committee. 'The outcome was Idle No More, a national protest movement, and the removal of social licences from resource projects. Development stalled and investment became risky, and that government proceeded in the wrong direction. We should learn from those lessons.' Benedict met with Ford and Rickford at the premier's home on Thursday following a first contentious day of committee hearings about Bill 5. Benedict said he told Ford that the legislation, as it is currently written, is unacceptable and that consultation must occur with each First Nation, not umbrella organizations like his. 'It infringes upon the rights, the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the communities in this region and that was essentially what the message was communicated to the premier,' he said. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW First Nation chiefs visited Queen's Park again on Monday to tell the committee studying the bill that it does not respect the province's duty to consult and other obligations as laid out in Treaty No. 9. Dozens of First Nation leaders and community members came to Queen's Park last week from the far reaches of northern Ontario. They set up drums in the middle of the legislature as a procession of chiefs told the government they want the bill struck down. Fiddler agreed on Monday, saying he is not interested in amendments. 'I think we're beyond amendments, we're beyond tinkering with this bill. They have to withdraw it, and we start over again,' he said. Despite his minister's pledge to listen to outraged First Nations, Ford said there was lots of support for the bill. 'There's opposition with the radical environmentalists, not everyone else,' he said. 'People want jobs, they want to create wealth and opportunity and prosperity.' New Democrat Sol Mamakwa, the legislature's only First Nation member, said he's heard about potential blockades of mines and roads from those in his riding of Kiiwetinoong, which includes the Ring of Fire region. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'That's the only way they'll listen and right now, they're not listening,' Mamakwa said. The NDP put forth a motion Monday seeking to hold an additional day of committee hearings on the bill in Thunder Bay, a repeat of Mamakwa's motion last week. The Progressive Conservatives voted against it. The bill is set for line-by-line consideration as it moves closer to becoming law. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. 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. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
