1) Chief says infrastructure drive could trigger another Idle No More protest movement

Source Canadian Press

By Alessia Passafiume, May 30, 2025

A First Nations chief is warning that Canada is “staring down the barrel” of another wave of protests like the Idle No More movement if governments pursue “national interest” projects without their input and consent.

Anishinabek Nation Regional Chief Scott McLeod has joined Indigenous leaders from across the country who say they’re alarmed by government efforts to accelerate infrastructure development.

The federal government is developing a “national interest” bill to fast-track nation-building projects with a streamlined regulatory approval process as a substitute for reviews under the Impact Assessment Act.

A handful of First Nations leaders told The Canadian Press Friday they were sent a letter Monday outlining the federal government’s plans.

They say Ottawa has asked them to report any concerns they have about those plans by Friday — even as wildfires continue to blaze in the Prairies and as chiefs in Ontario mount opposition to the province’s own infrastructure bill.

McLeod said Anishinabek Nation was only formally briefed on Ottawa’s plans on Friday.

“With Prime Minister Mark Carney, we don’t even have a relationship yet,” he said.

“And trying to pass a bill in this way, without even talking to First Nations leadership, is a very rocky start for the Liberal government.”

In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford is pursuing legislation — Bill 5 — that would enable cabinet to designate “special economic zones” where companies or projects wouldn’t have to comply with selected laws or regulations.

The government of British Columbia recently passed the Infrastructure Projects Act — which allows it to fast-track things like critical minerals projects it deems to be in the province’s interests — over fierce opposition from First Nations.

The Alberta government announced earlier this year it would move to speed up permit approvals for developments it considers low-risk.

McLeod said chiefs have been sending provincial and federal officials “warning shots” about the sorts of disruptions such projects could face if Indigenous communities are not properly consulted.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak of the Assembly of First Nations issued her own warning to the provinces and Ottawa, saying it “may not end well” if they make decisions about major infrastructure projects at next week’s first ministers meeting in Saskatoon without First Nations involvement.

The Assembly of First Nations has long called for its inclusion at first ministers meetings but has only been able to secure secondary meetings with prime ministers ahead of the official meetings.

Given the stakes of the upcoming meeting, Nepinak said First Nations exclusion is “very disrespectful.” Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice Chief David Pratt, meanwhile, is calling for governments to “smarten up.”

Woodhouse Nepinak said the Assembly of First Nations is only aware of “bits and pieces” of the proposed federal legislation.

“We are concerned about what we are seeing from the government so far, and based on what I’m hearing about similar proposals in Ontario, in British Columbia and Alberta,” she said.

“I fear that this may not end well.”

McLeod said the last time Indigenous leaders saw something like what the federal government is proposing now was “in 2012 with Bill C-45, that had a lot of the same language and the same impacts on First Nations, which sparked Idle No More.

“We all know what happened then.”

The Idle No More movement was triggered by that omnibus bill, introduced by then-prime minister Stephen Harper’s government.

Indigenous leaders said the bill, intended to ramp up resource development, would trample on their rights while giving governments and businesses more authority to develop resources without thorough environmental assessments.

Leaders allied with the Idle No More movement staged protests, rallies and blockades on railway lines and highways and earned widespread support from across the country.

“We’re informing the grassroots people and they’re going to take it upon themselves on what actions are required to deal with the government’s inaction,” McLeod said.

One of those grassroots people in Ontario is Anishinabek Nation youth councillor Terra Roy, who said young people will be “watching very closely” what federal and provincial governments do next.

“We’re not afraid to show up and to be loud about it,” Roy said.

2) Last-minute changes to Ontario mining bill are not good enough, First Nations say

Last-minute changes to Ontario mining bill are not good enough, First Nations say

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Liam Casey, May 29, 2025

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.

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.

3) Ontario to amend mining bill, add Indigenous economic zones amid First Nations uproar

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Liam Casey, May 28, 2025

Premier Doug Ford’s government is set to capitulate to some First Nation demands on a controversial mining bill, though it will not kill the proposed law outright, The Canadian Press has learned.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford and Mining Minister Stephen Lecce say the province will amend Bill 5 to explicitly include duty to consult provisions throughout the bill.

The bill, which seeks to speed up mining projects, is set to go through amendments Wednesday at committee as it moves towards becoming law.

The new law would create so-called “special economic zones” where it can suspend provincial and municipal projects, but will also add in “special Indigenous economic zones” at the request of First Nations for projects they want fast-tracked.

The province is set to designate the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario as the first such zone, a move that has set off a firestorm of anger among First Nations, many of which have pledged to take the fight to the land.

But Rickford and Lecce say the province will not designate the Ring of Fire a special economic zone until it meaningfully consults with all First Nations in the area.

“We are going to enunciate explicitly in each one that the duty to consult is there and it will be upheld to the highest standards,” Rickford said.

“The aim is to make First Nations partners.”

Once the bill is passed, likely next week, Ford, Rickford and Lecce will meet immediately with First Nation leadership, they said.

First Nation chiefs have shown up en masse at Queen’s Park from the far reaches of northern Ontario to tell the politicians that the province is going about this in the wrong way. They say the government has already failed in its duty to consult.

The Chiefs of Ontario, which represents all 133 First Nations in the province, said the bill should be killed outright so they can be consulted from the start.

Their leader, Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict, met with Ford last week at the premier’s home, where he told him about the problems with the bill. 

That meeting touched off talks with numerous First Nation chiefs, in which the ministers said they planned to work together with them to create the regulations that will enforce the new law.

“We will not use the authorities like a special economic zone until we’ve meaningfully consulted,” Lecce said.

The ministers say they’ve received a number of great suggestions from First Nations.

Rickford and Lecce say there are large infrastructure projects they want to complete to help some remote First Nations get off diesel gas that they use for electricity generation. 

They are also proposing to help build roads to connect communities to the provincial highway system, since climate change is wreaking havoc with winter ice roads the communities rely on to haul in all sorts of goods.