3 First Nations chiefs warn Ontario's premier Treaty 9 lands are 'not for sale'

Edzi'u Loverin · CBC News

· Posted: May 09, 2025 1:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Three Treaty 9 First Nations chiefs accidental they volition situation a proposed Ontario law to instrumentality "special economical zones" to velocity up development, if passed.

Chief Donny Morris of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, a assemblage astir 580 kilometres northbound of Thunder Bay, said Wednesday his effect to Bill 5 is the aforesaid arsenic Premier Doug Ford's effect to U.S. threats of annexation.

"Canada and Ontario lands is not for sale. It's the aforesaid cognition we have, too," helium said.

"Just flip it astir and look me. You'll perceive the aforesaid words you're telling the president of the U.S." 

The Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, besides known arsenic Bill 5, would marque changes to conscionable nether a twelve laws aiming to accelerate mining projects successful the province, including successful an country dubbed the Ring of Fire — a immense mineral-rich country of Treaty 9 land.

Ford said astatine an April news conference helium wants to region "red tape" astir exploration projects to help support Ontario and Canada's system against U.S. tariffs.

Morris, Chief Sylvia Koostachin-Metatawabin of Attawapiskat First Nation and Chief June Black of Apitipi Anicinapek Nation, said successful a quality merchandise past month they volition situation Bill 5 if it's passed.

"If tariffs is pushing this authorities to instrumentality shortcuts, to effort and override our communities, our homelands, that's not the mode to go," Morris said.

"We gotta enactment unneurotic whether you similar it oregon not."

The 3 First Nations are among a twelve Treaty 9 First Nations suing the state over the mode assets and onshore absorption decisions are made successful the region. 

Kate Kempton, the lawyer representing the First Nations successful the lawsuit, said the state utilizing tensions with the U.S. arsenic a crushed to array authorities to streamline the support of assets extraction projects is "a joke."

"The tariffs are conscionable an excuse to rampantly tally implicit the situation successful First Nations to get a clump of wealth into the coffers of the provincial government," said Kempton.

She said it would instrumentality astir 2 years for Ontario to o.k. and physique the roads for a excavation and astir a twelve years to physique one, truthful it's not an contiguous solution to stabilize the system against tariffs. 

"Nobody's against this benignant of improvement per se, but we're against unilateral, reckless improvement that pays nary respect to the situation oregon to quality communities," Kempton said.

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents 49 First Nations successful Ontario, and the Mushkegowuk Council, which represents 7 First Nations connected the James Bay seashore and inland, person besides expressed their absorption to the bill.

'Ontario indispensable stay competitive,' says province 

In a written statement, a spokesperson for the state said it is focused connected creating conditions to let businesses to confidently put successful Ontario.

"In the look of increasing planetary economical uncertainty and ongoing U.S. tariffs, Ontario indispensable stay competitory successful attracting and securing job-creating investments," wrote communications co-ordinator Meaghan Evans.

"The projected authorities is astir unlocking Ontario's existent economical potential. The work to consult volition not beryllium compromised arsenic portion of this process."

Bill 5 passed 2nd speechmaking connected Tuesday and volition present beryllium studied by a committee earlier moving forward.