First Nations threaten long hot summer if Ottawa passes national project legislation

A First Nation leader from northern Ontario had a warning for the federal government Tuesday at a protest over Bill 5, the federal government’s proposed national project-building legislation. “If you pass this Bill C-5 it will be a long hot summer,” said Alvin Fiddler, grand chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, an organization that represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario. “We will not sit idly by and watch any government whether it’s Ontario or Canada to come to our territory and take whatever or whatever they want because it is ours.” Fiddler is also in a fight with the Ontario government over the province’s own legislation that gives it sweeping power to override environmental and municipal laws if it deems a project to be important. On Parliament Hill, about 350 people brought signs and ceremonial drums to help make their point. About 350 people came from various locations to take part in the protest on Parliament Hill on Tuesday. Photo: Charlie Woolf/APTN. Bill C-5 is currently being fast-tracked through Parliament. There has been little consultation with First Nations. According to the government, it sent an outline to about 60 “Indigenous partners” to review the gist of the legislation a week or so before it was tabled in the House of Commons. If passed, the minister in charge of approving projects would be able to override 13 different federal laws currently on the books including the Indian Act, Species at Risk and Environmental Protection Act to get a project underway. The prime minister said an Indigenous Advisory Council would be formed to help guide the process – but there’s no mention of it in the legislation. “It’s important to protect our land in and our waters because that’s one of the crucial parts of our culture is to protect our lands and the water,” said Jessica George, 19, who made the six hour drive from Oneida First Nation. Read More:  ‘The honour of the Crown is not behing upheld’: Indigenous leaders tell prime minister to start again with Bill C-5 Ontario NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa said First Nations need to be part of the discussion when decisions effect Treaty rights, land rights and people who live on the land. He said communities will rise up against both Ontario and Canada’s proposed bill. “I think you will see  different direct actions from different areas and one of the things is some peaceful demonstrations, but I think if there’s no pull back of the Bill 5 or repealing of the bill or killing the bills I think things will just  elevate slowly throughout the summer,” said Mamakwa. Ramon Katakwapit is from Attawapiskat First Nation, a Cree community in Treaty 9 in northern Ontario. That’s the treaty area where the Ring of Fire is located. Rich in minerals vital to the green economy, it’s an area that Ontario Premier Doug Ford said is at the top of his list to get a “special economic zone” designation. A national youth council is being developed to help organize protests against the federal legislation says a youth from Attawapiskat. Photo: Charlie Woolf/APTN. Even First Nations that have signed road construction agreements with the Ford government said they are against the province’s law. Katakwapit said the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Youth Council is starting a movement across the country for young people to make change. “We will not be the same as Idle No More, KI Six, 1492 Landback,” he said about previous protests, “This will be different and real change will be made because we’re only building on top of what our predecessors have built for us but we’re going to the moon this time and I believe in this generation.” Read the federal government’s proposed legislation: Bill C-5 Read Ontario’s economic renewal law: Bill 5  Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is currently in Alberta hosting the G7 summit, said Parliament would sit until the Bill 5 was passed. Continue Reading