Latest news with #OntarioNature
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Doug Ford vows to use Bill 5 to open the Ring of Fire ‘as quickly as possible'
Premier Doug Ford says he will designate the Ring of Fire — which holds critical mineral deposits in northwestern Ontario — a special economic zone 'as quickly as possible' in order to open mines now that Bill 5 has passed. 'We need to start moving on that. We have a lot of excitement and a great partnership with Chief Sonny,' Ford said Thursday, referring to a January agreement signed with Aroland First Nation Chief Sonny Gagnon to upgrade the roads and energy transmission lines needed to create a mining hub. 'They're going to see a road they never had. They're going to get off the diesel that they've been living on and get electricity.' The legislation, which fast-tracks mining and infrastructure projects by exempting them from local and provincial rules, has been slammed by opposition parties and others for weakening environmental, endangered species and labour protections, and ignoring aboriginal treaty rights. That means 'unchecked powers' for Ford's Progressive Conservatives under the Protect Ontario By Unleashing Our Economy Act, said Tony Morris of the lobby group Ontario Nature. 'The government may have rammed this legislation through, but we have seen incredible opposition from Indigenous peoples, environmental groups, farmers, labour organizations and people from across the province.' Touting the bill in the face of warnings from some First Nations that they will blockade highways and block projects 'on the ground' in protest over a lack of prior consultation on the bill, Ford would not specify which laws his government would exempt companies from in special economic zones. 'Let's see what companies come to the table and, depending on how quickly we can get opportunities and jobs, we'll reveal them,' the premier told reporters. 'When we feel that we need to speed things up, we'll speed things up.' Opposition parties have warned the legislation will be challenged in the courts and face protests that will slow development down, not speed it up as Ford hopes to do to counter the economic slowdown expected to result from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. 'Don't raise the boiling point,' Green Leader Mike Schreiner said. 'We all want to see more economic development in this province, and it's not going to happen as fast as we would like if the premier divides us.' He noted special economic zones can be designated anywhere in the province under the legislation, raising concerns that prime farmland, for example, could be taken out of service. 'We are approaching what I'm afraid may be a summer of chaos,' said New Democrat Leader Marit Stiles. 'You cannot trust this government to give themselves unlimited powers.' The pushback the government is experiencing is 'a symbol of how flawed this legislation is,' Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie added. Appearing with Ford, Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce said Indigenous communities have been offered $3 billion to help develop projects to improve their fortunes and develop their resources. The Trump tariffs have led to an 'abrupt halt' in capital investments by companies around the world and Ontario wants to be ready when the fog clears and billions of dollars are 'unleashed' in countries with good opportunities, Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli said.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Media Statement - Bill 5 Must Be Withdrawn
We acknowledge that there are 46 treaties and other agreements that cover the territory now called Ontario and our roles and responsibilities as Treaty partners. We recognize the inherent rights and responsibilities of Indigenous Nations, who have cared for and governed Turtle Island since time immemorial TORONTO, June 3, 2025 /CNW/ - On May 22 and May 26, the Canadian Union of Public Employees – Ontario (CUPE Ontario), Ecojustice, Friends of Attawapiskat River, Neskantaga First Nation, Ontario Nature, the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE), Toronto Zoo and Wildlands League expressed our concerns and recommendations with the Government of Ontario's proposed Bill 5 to the Standing Committee on the Interior. Collectively, we believe that economic resilience can and must go hand in hand with Indigenous rights and sovereignty, robust democratic institutions, sound engineering practices, labour laws and strong environmental standards. Bill 5 is sweeping legislation that concentrates unprecedented powers in the hands of provincial ministers without proper checks and balances. It removes independent, science-based decision-making regarding Ontario's most vulnerable species and weakens protections for their habitats. It fast tracks two politically selected projects – a mine in northern Ontario and a landfill in southwestern Ontario, without requiring comprehensive environmental assessments. The proposed "special economic zones" could be created anywhere in the province, suspending all existing laws and regulations related to labour conditions, health and safety, employment and environmental standards. Fundamentally, Bill 5 disregards the inherent and constitutionally protected rights of Indigenous Peoples. The provincial government could unilaterally fast-track projects by bypassing the free, prior and informed consent of First Nations. The recent amendments to include Duty to Consult provisions do not address these concerns. For Ontario to keep its competitive attractiveness, economic development must be guided by Indigenous collaboration, transparency, technical and scientific expertise, and environmental stewardship. A resilient economy depends on predictable regulatory frameworks, long-term planning and respect for Indigenous rights and democratic norms. The Government of Ontario is limiting democratic debate on Bill 5 in the legislature and has had no time to meaningfully consider comments received through the Environmental Registry of Ontario to justify ramming this bill through. We urge the Government of Ontario to immediately withdraw Bill 5 and sit down with Indigenous nations, labour groups, engineers, scientists, environmental organizations, industry and residents of Ontario to collaboratively develop evidence-based, inclusive and sustainable solutions for a prosperous Ontario. SOURCE Ontario Nature View original content:
Hamilton Spectator
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Doug Ford blinks on Bill 5, under fire from First Nations
First Nations leaders and youth activists gathered at Queen's Park on Monday to denounce Ontario's controversial Bill 5,. 'This will not be the end of our fight,' said Alvin Fiddler, Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. 'The fight will only just be a start, will only begin.' Introduced by Premier Doug Ford's government, the bill aims to fast-track development by stripping away key safeguards — but for First Nations communities, it is a direct threat to Indigenous sovereignty, environmental security and generational justice. 'Nowhere in Bill 5 is the rights of Indigenous peoples to free, prior and informed consent mentioned — not even once,' said Shane Moffatt, Ontario Nature's conservation campaigns and advocacy manager. 'There is the potential for their rights to be really trampled if Bill 5 goes ahead, and that's paramount.' The fight against Bill 5 is not just confined to First Nations and environmental groups, but is gaining traction across Ontario. 'The premier has kicked a hornet's nest,' Moffatt said. 'I've never seen such quick mobilization and such an overwhelming response from the public.' In response to the opposition, Doug Ford's government announced today he will partially amend Bill 5 to include a duty to consult First Nations before moving forward — but intends to pass the bill to create special economic zones that fast-track mining and development projects. Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford and Ministry of Energy Stephen Lecce said the province won't move forward with this plan until they have meaningful consultation with all the First Nations in the area. As soon as Bill 5 becomes law — which could happen next week — Premier Ford, Rickford, and Lecce plan to meet with First Nations leaders to discuss the next steps. At Queen's Park, Fiddler firmly opposed Bill 5, calling it 'inappropriate' and rejecting the 'bill in its entirety.' He said he is concerned for young people in the territory who are 'rightfully worried about what this could mean for them and for their future.' Hanna Sewell, a member of Batchewana First Nation and co-chair of the Ontario First Nations Young People's Council said the bill reminds her of a battle — a violent one — her people fought over a similar issue, generations ago. 'Unfortunately, we've been subject to a lot of these bills over the years,' said Sewell. 'My reserve was predominantly in the Battle of Mica Bay.' The Battle of Mica Bay occurred in November 1849, when Anishinaabe and Métis leaders confronted the Quebec Mining Company for extracting minerals on their land without consent or compensation. Their peaceful but firm action forced the mine to close and drew the government's attention to Indigenous land rights. 'We have nothing left to lose except our land,' Sewell said. 'We're really willing to do anything it takes to make sure that our land is protected and that we can help breathe clean air and drink clean water, which some First Nations don't even have the ability to do now.' Major changes demanded Ramon Kataquapit, from Attawapiskat First Nation and a youth council member from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, said the bill 'literally says that our rights do not matter' and suggests 'that the lands that we sit on — and have stewarded since time immemorial — aren't our territory.' He said that the lack of environmental impact consultations in the past severely affected his community. Even as a mining company stripped the First Nation's land, the proceeds from its agreements were placed into a trust fund that has been inaccessible for 15 to 20 years, Kataquapit said. Meanwhile, its operations have contaminated the environment. 'The surrounding land, our source waters are filled with diesel and mercury from these mines, which is why we are on and off under a boil water advisory for a really long time,' Kataquapit said. First Nations leaders said Bill 5 requires a complete overhaul, not just amendments. 'It needs to be completely kiboshed and [revised] in a much, much better way, with First Nations at the table from the beginning,' Sewell said. She said the current government engagement is being 'taken at face value as consultation.' Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict said that First Nations are not opposed to economic growth, however, the bill makes the 'duty to consult very unclear' and would send many disputes to court. Benedict said these legal battles drain community resources and can delay or halt projects, creating economic uncertainty and losses for communities that could have otherwise benefited from properly negotiated development agreements. 'We want infrastructure. We want all those great things. Yes, bring it to the north, but be mindful in the way that you do it,' Sewell said. Environmental protections not 'red tape' Environmentalists like Moffatt of Ontario Nature say environmental protections are not 'red tape,' but instead are crucial safeguards for clean air, clean water and the ecosystems that all Ontarians depend on. 'We're in the middle of a global biodiversity crisis, and the last thing that Ontario should be doing ... is weakening protections for endangered species,' Moffatt said. He said the potential elimination of species recovery strategies under Bill 5 is a fundamental abandonment of endangered species, with significant consequences for essential systems such as agriculture that rely heavily on pollinators. While many provinces are stepping up and putting in place new conservation measures, Ford's government is running in the opposite direction , he said. Ontario Nature has already collected over 18,000 petition signatures and united 100 organizations in a joint submission. 'It reflects the huge number of Ontarians that are seeing this ... I personally think that we're going to see that opposition continue to grow,' Moffatt said. 'The premier is going to have to answer some very tough questions that the public are asking him.' However, Ford has dismissed these concerns as coming from 'radical environmentalists.' 'You can call me whatever you want, but at the end of the day, I'm trying to fight for you too, Doug Ford,' Sewell said. She said First Nations' advocacy for land protection benefits everyone. 'It's so that your kids, your grandkids, too, can drink, breathe and live in the future, and we're always taught to think seven generations ahead,' Sewell said. Fiddler said he is concerned that the federal government, under newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney, may be considering legislation similar to Ontario's controversial Bill 5. 'This is not how you want to start your mandate as prime minister,' said Fiddler. 'You need to be respectful of our nation. You need to be mindful of the obligation that you have under a treaty.'Indigenous leaders and allied organizations have made it clear: if the province does not pause and consult, they are prepared to pursue 'conflict' both on the ground and in the courts. 'It's a battle between choosing the people or the land,' Kataquapit said. 'We want to share and live on these lands you call Canada, but if our inherent treaty rights keep being violated and our right to prior and informed consent is ignored, we will stand up against it.' 'We will call for a movement. We will fight for change in the government — not just to respect us, but to respect our sovereignty.' Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer
National Observer
28-05-2025
- Politics
- National Observer
Doug Ford blinks on Bill 5, under fire from First Nations
First Nations leaders and youth activists gathered at Queen's Park on Monday to denounce Ontario's controversial Bill 5,. 'This will not be the end of our fight,' said Alvin Fiddler, Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. 'The fight will only just be a start, will only begin.' Introduced by Premier Doug Ford's government, the bill aims to fast-track development by stripping away key safeguards — but for First Nations communities, it is a direct threat to Indigenous sovereignty, environmental security and generational justice. 'Nowhere in Bill 5 is the rights of Indigenous peoples to free, prior and informed consent mentioned — not even once,' said Shane Moffatt, Ontario Nature's conservation campaigns and advocacy manager. 'There is the potential for their rights to be really trampled if Bill 5 goes ahead, and that's paramount.' The fight against Bill 5 is not just confined to First Nations and environmental groups, but is gaining traction across Ontario. 'The premier has kicked a hornet's nest,' Moffatt said. 'I've never seen such quick mobilization and such an overwhelming response from the public.' In response to the opposition, Doug Ford's government announced today he will partially amend Bill 5 to include a duty to consult First Nations before moving forward — but intends to pass the bill to create special economic zones that fast-track mining and development projects. 'We're really willing to do anything it takes to make sure that our land is protected and that we can help breathe clean air and drink clean water," said Hanna Sewell, co-chair of the Ontario First Nations Young People's Council. Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford and Ministry of Energy Stephen Lecce said the province won't move forward with this plan until they have meaningful consultation with all the First Nations in the area. As soon as Bill 5 becomes law — which could happen next week — Premier Ford, Rickford, and Lecce plan to meet with First Nations leaders to discuss the next steps. At Queen's Park, Fiddler firmly opposed Bill 5, calling it 'inappropriate' and rejecting the 'bill in its entirety.' He said he is concerned for young people in the territory who are 'rightfully worried about what this could mean for them and for their future.' Hanna Sewell, a member of Batchewana First Nation and co-chair of the Ontario First Nations Young People's Council said the bill reminds her of a battle — a violent one — her people fought over a similar issue, generations ago. 'Unfortunately, we've been subject to a lot of these bills over the years,' said Sewell. 'My reserve was predominantly in the Battle of Mica Bay.' The Battle of Mica Bay occurred in November 1849, when Anishinaabe and Métis leaders confronted the Quebec Mining Company for extracting minerals on their land without consent or compensation. Their peaceful but firm action forced the mine to close and drew the government's attention to Indigenous land rights. 'We have nothing left to lose except our land,' Sewell said. 'We're really willing to do anything it takes to make sure that our land is protected and that we can help breathe clean air and drink clean water, which some First Nations don't even have the ability to do now.' Major changes demanded Ramon Kataquapit, from Attawapiskat First Nation and a youth council member from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, said the bill 'literally says that our rights do not matter' and suggests 'that the lands that we sit on aren't our territory.' He said the lack of consultation in the past has severely impacted his community. Even as a mining company stripped the First Nation's land, the proceeds from its agreements were placed into a trust fund that has been inaccessible for 10 to 15 years, Kataquapit said. Meanwhile, its operations have contaminated the environment. 'The surrounding land, our source waters are filled with diesel from these mines, which is why we are on and off under a boil water advisory for a really long time,' Kataquapit said. First Nations leaders said Bill 5 requires a complete overhaul, not just amendments. 'It needs to be completely kiboshed and [revised] in a much, much better way, with First Nations at the table from the beginning,' Sewell said. She said the current government engagement is being 'taken at face value as consultation.' Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict said that First Nations are not opposed to economic growth, however, the bill makes the 'duty to consult very unclear' and would send many disputes to court. Benedict said these legal battles drain community resources and can delay or halt projects, creating economic uncertainty and losses for communities that could have otherwise benefited from properly negotiated development agreements. 'We want infrastructure. We want all those great things. Yes, bring it to the north, but be mindful in the way that you do it,' Sewell said. Environmental protections not 'red tape' Environmentalists like Moffatt of Ontario Nature say environmental protections are not 'red tape,' but instead are crucial safeguards for clean air, clean water and the ecosystems that all Ontarians depend on. 'We're in the middle of a global biodiversity crisis, and the last thing that Ontario should be doing ... is weakening protections for endangered species,' Moffatt said. He said the potential elimination of species recovery strategies under Bill 5 is a fundamental abandonment of endangered species, with significant consequences for essential systems such as agriculture that rely heavily on pollinators. While many provinces are stepping up and putting in place new conservation measures, Ford's government is running in the opposite direction, he said. Ontario Nature has already collected over 18,000 petition signatures and united 100 organizations in a joint submission. 'It reflects the huge number of Ontarians that are seeing this ... I personally think that we're going to see that opposition continue to grow,' Moffatt said. 'The premier is going to have to answer some very tough questions that the public are asking him.' However, Ford has dismissed these concerns as coming from 'radical environmentalists.' 'You can call me whatever you want, but at the end of the day, I'm trying to fight for you too, Doug Ford,' Sewell said. She said First Nations' advocacy for land protection benefits everyone. 'It's so that your kids, your grandkids, too, can drink, breathe and live in the future, and we're always taught to think seven generations ahead,' Sewell said. Fiddler said he is concerned that the federal government, under newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney, may be considering legislation similar to Ontario's controversial Bill 5. 'This is not how you want to start your mandate as prime minister,' said Fiddler. 'You need to be respectful of our nation. You need to be mindful of the obligation that you have under a treaty.' Indigenous leaders and allied organizations have made it clear: if the province does not pause and consult, they are prepared to pursue 'conflict' both on the ground and in the courts. 'It's a battle of people versus the land,' Kataquapit said. 'We will stand against this, and we'll be in a movement. And this movement will call for the change in the government to not only respect us, but respect our sovereignty.'
CBC
20-05-2025
- General
- CBC
A nesting crunch sees the true story of 'Avian Sister Wives' unfold on St. Thomas, Ont. porch
Finding a robin's nest on the front porch was nothing new for St. Thomas resident Debra Copeland, but finding a nest shared by two squabbling female robins, eight eggs and a couple visiting male birds was a different story. During a typical spring, Copeland said she sees no more than five light blue eggs in a robin's nest. That's why she was surprised to see more packed into a brand new nest above her porch light at the end of April, and put up a camera to investigate. "I was shocked and amazed that by the night, there were two females incubating the nest at the same time," she said, adding that the relationship was tenuous at first. "At the beginning, you could tell they were very unhappy with one another … They would bite each other's beaks, peck at each other, they'd jump on top of each other to get the other to fly away and sometimes it would work." "But, I think that these just might be the most stubborn and devoted robin mamas that have ever existed, because neither of them were willing to give up," Copeland said. After three days of fighting, the two female birds ultimately decided to work together to raise their eggs in the shared nest, she said: they take turns watching and feeding the now-hatched group of babies. "They rarely squabble. They almost look like they are super bonded and kind of love each other because they snuggle up together in the nest," she said. The behaviour is unusual for robins but not completely unheard of, according to Ontario Nature executive director Andres Jimenez. "If you think about this from the lens of having a very desirable male in a fantastic territory where there are few places for a safe nest, it would help the females be inclined to share a nest," said Jimenez. "I refer to it as a housing crisis." While the mother birds on Copeland's porch share the parenting duties, Jimenez said nest "helpers" – the term for birds who assist in raising babies who are not necessarily their own offspring – can operate in different ways in different relationships. "There are birds who did not lay eggs and help, there are instances of a dove and robin laying eggs in the say nest and feeding all the chicks … there are instances of some birds who delay their reproduction to help their parents into rearing other birds when they come back from migration," he said. "Everything is possible." "[Robins] are adaptable, they're flexible, they solve problems in ways that we still cannot fully explain," Jimenez said. How many dads? On Copeland's porch, ultimately six of the eggs hatched, though one of the fledglings was pushed out of the nest and died over the long weekend, leaving the moms with five birds to raise. "It's a very, very tight living situation. They are quite packed in there … you can see them flapping their wings and trying to push each other around so they can get space," Copeland said, adding that she built a soft landing pad under the nest and frequently checks to make sure no others fall out. There is also a male bird or two in the picture, Copeland said. While she is unsure exactly how many males are involved, she has recorded at least one bringing back food to the co-habiting females. "I have a pretty strong feeling that there's actually two whole couples, so that makes it even more interesting because it's not like one male has babies with both of them, it means for some reason the females were prompted to share this nest," she said. "It's like one big family stuck in one house." The story has gained traction in bird watching Facebook groups, with hundreds of people interacting with Copeland's daily photos, videos and updates from the nest. "I think it's so unique, different and odd, and there's lots of questions, so it makes people want to puzzle it out," Copeland said. "I think we also want to see them succeed. We want to see them be in a situation that's difficult or hard, and we are all rooting for them to do well."
