Overview

• On June 19 at Queen’s Park, Premier Doug Ford apologized to Anishinabek Nation chiefs for suggesting First Nations should stop coming “hat in hand” to the government.
• Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige described the apology as sincere and said it marked a new day in government-to-First Nations relations.
• Bill 5 grants cabinet authority to create special economic zones that can bypass environmental, municipal and labour regulations, raising fears among Indigenous communities.
• The Ring of Fire mineral region is slated to be the first designated special economic zone, intensifying worries over treaty rights and resource extraction processes.
• First Nations leaders have threatened blockades of roads, railways and mines if the law is not repealed and consultations over treaty rights remain unresolved.