TORONTO – The First Nations protests against Bill 5 seem to have had, at least in part, the effect the Indigenous People hoped for. The Ontario government, in fact, is ready to amend the bill that would make it “easier” to exploit the rare-earth elements of the ‘Ring of Fire’ in Northern Ontario: the First Nations should be consulted, according to the amendment. Not only that: the same government led by Doug Ford is promising a “package” of proposals ready for infrastructure projects dedicated to the Indigenous populations of those areas. But let’s order.

The provincial government is preparing to present an amendment to that bill, in committee, with the aim of adding the so-called “duty to consult provisions”, as spokesperson Hannah Jensen told the CBC. “Regulations under this Act shall be made in a manner consistent with the recognition and affirmation of existing Aboriginal and treaty rights in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, including the duty to consult” the proposed amendment reads.

The provincial government originally intended Bill 5 to create “special economic zones” where the government can exempt companies or projects from laws or regulations. Among them is the “Ring of Fire” in Northern Ontario, which is rich in rare-earth minerals. The goal: to gain easier and faster access to minerals that are so coveted around the world because they are needed to produce advanced technologies. But the Province didn’t foresee those who have always lived in those areas: the First Nations, who have vowed to fight against that bill.

Thus, Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce were quick to point out that the Province will not designate the ‘Ring of Fire’ as a special economic zone until “meaningful consultation” has been done with all the First Nations in the area. “We will explicitly indicate in the law that there is a requirement for consultation and it will be respected at the highest levels” Rickford said. “The goal is to make the First Nations partners” he added.

The law, therefore, although amended, will go forward. And next week, Ford, Rickford and Lecce are expected to meet – or so they promised – with First Nations leaders who, however, have already widely expressed their opposition to the bill, which in their opinion should be rejected outright. A disagreement that was concretely demonstrated on Monday, when they showed up en masse at Queen’s Park, even from remote parts of Northern Ontario, to reiterate their firm “no” to that law, denouncing that it threatens “inherent rights, treaty obligations and sovereignty” and, precisely for this reason, could also trigger a “conflict” in the courts, as well as on the field.

“Ontario First Nations are deeply concerned about what the government is proposing with this bill” Ontario Chief Abram Benedict said in that occasion. “It is a direct threat to their Nations, their Territories, their jurisdiction, their sovereignty.” Attending the rally at Queen’s Park, in addition to other Chiefs, was youth leader Hanna Sewell, Co-Chair of the Ontario First Nations Young Peoples Council. “As youth, we are too often left out of these conversations, but we are the ones who will live with the consequences” said Hanna, adding that “Bill 5 moves us backwards. It puts short-term economic interests ahead of long-term survival of our species, our languages, our waters and our Nations…”.

(Here above is the video of the Chiefs’ press conference during the protest at Queen’s Park)

In an attempt to convince the Indigenous People, the provincial government also tried the captatio benevolentiae card, with Lecce and Rickford who spoke of “major infrastructure projects” to be completed “to help some remote First Nations to give up the diesel fuel they use for electricity production”, as well as “new roads to connect communities to the highway network” to facilitate the transport of all types of goods. Will all these promises, together with the amendment to the bill, guarantee the access to the treasures of the ‘Ring of Fire’?

In the pic above, from the left: Grand Chief Joel Abram, Association Of Iroquois & Allied Indians; Hanna Sewell, Co-Chair, Ontario First Nations Young Peoples Council (OFNYPC); Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict, Chiefs of Ontario (photo: Twitter X – @ChiefsofOntario)