Idle No More 2.0 will be ‘fierce' if Doug Ford moves ahead with Bill 5
'If and when this becomes law, say next week or after that, there will be fierce resistance from our side,' Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said on Thursday, representing the chiefs of 49 communities in the province's far north. 'I know my dear friend Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige has said the same thing.
'This is what we're looking at: Idle No More 2.0.'
Debassige referenced the 2012 movement that asserted Indigenous rights and sovereignty across Canada in response to federal omnibus legislation in a statement Anishinabek Nation issued on Tuesday. She urged Premier Doug Ford to immediately withdraw the controversial Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, saying, 'we caution the provincial government that should Bill 5 proceed in its current form, we will be idle no more.'
That statement followed two days of deputations that chiefs and grand chiefs across the province made to the Standing Committee on the Interior over the past week. All of those deputations called for the government to scrap the bill and start again with consultation, while deputations referenced the possibility of demonstrations or direct action if the bill passes.
First Nations argue the series of laws that Bill 5 amends, such as the Mining Act and the Endangered Species Act, comprise a legal regime on free, prior and informed consultation and accommodation. The bill proposes new 'special economic zones' the minister can designate without size or impact limitation, that would exempt developers from following defined regulations and protocols on Indigenous engagement.
'They need to provide more details, procedures and protocols with this duty to consult,' said Nibinamik (Summer Beaver First Nation) Chief Michael Sugarhead. 'When other development comes, such as mining engagement, that we've been having recently, our rights aren't really considered.'
Nibinamik is located about 100 kilometres west of the 5,000-square-kilometre Ring of Fire mineral deposit, which Ford has said he will name as the first special economic zone. Twenty years after prospectors found the deposit, Sugarhead said Ontario still refuses to recognize nearby First Nations as full partners and he's concerned this legislation will deeply impact the land while leaving future generations in poverty.'How is this going to help our community? We live in third-world conditions and it's like that because of the government,' he said.
Sugarhead said the residual effects of this are poor health, poor education, and poor standards of living. 'Reconciliation is imperative in this case, to have that meaningful partnership and participation in this type of development. If it's not there, I don't think that the people of the land will give their free, prior and informed consent.'
Facing mounting opposition, Progressive Conservative committee members introduced 23 amendments to Bill 5 on Wednesday, including one that made explicit the government's commitment to abide by its constitutional responsibility to consult and 'affirmation of existing Aboriginal and treaty rights.'
Nibinamik's lawyer, Zachary Davis, accused the Doug Ford Conservatives of committing 'lip service' to Indigenous rights, insisting the amendment is legally empty.
'The government's just admitting what is already true,' Davis said. 'These are constitutional obligations. It provides no certainty.'
Sol Mamakwa
, Kiiwetinoong NDP MPP and the only First Nations member of the Legislature, called the PC's amendments 'meaningless, unserious, and worse than useless,' while he accused the government of 'placing itself above and beyond the law.'
Mamakwa introduced two separate motions in committee that would have seen hearings on Bill 5 take place in Thunder Bay and other parts of northern Ontario. PC committee members defeated them both.
Indigenous minister Greg Rickford said during question period on Wednesday that consultation with First Nations will begin after the bill is passed. To that end, his government will introduce, 'Indigenous-led economic zones.' Rickford said in a statement to Ricochet Media that his office intends, 'to work throughout the summer in consultation with Indigenous partners to develop regulations to create new Indigenous-led economic zones as part of Bill 5. This amendment creating a new category of zone is at the request of some First Nations who, like us, want to build projects that will unlock economic prosperity for generations.'
But Fiddler says Ontario has offered no direction or definition of what such a zone designation would entail.
'The impression we're getting is that they're just making things up on the fly,' Fiddler said. 'I think it's too late in the process to try to fix this bill with any kind of amendments, including creating Indigenous-led economic zones. We don't even know what that means.'
The Mushkegowuk Council is meeting in Sault Ste. Marie to discuss the bill on Thursday, including representatives of Moose Cree First Nation.
On April 9, Moose Cree Chief Peter Wesley stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Ontario energy minister Stephen Lecce to announce the construction of two new hydroelectric facilities that will generate 430 megawatts in the shared traditional territory with Taykwa Tagamou Nation. By the end of May, Ontario introduced Bill 5. Wesley couldn't believe it.
'We were involved from the very initial stages of the project and to have minister Lecce acknowledge that, wow, this is the groundwork of how it should be,' he said. 'What happened? To have Bill 5 come out, and 'we'll think about adding consultation as an afterthought?' It's not going to work. A few weeks ago, we thought we were on the right path. I don't know if that's there anymore.'
Moose Cree has been expressing disapproval of a prospective niobium mine 25 kilometres up the North French River since 2019. Wesley says he has voiced his community's opposition to the project in written letters to both Ford and Rickford, but has received no response.Moose Cree members took the train to demonstrate in Ottawa during the 2012 Idle No More movement. Wesley believes that if Bill 5 passes, his community will be prepared to stand up once more.'There might be a lot of civil unrest by First Nations again,' he said. 'We have some very outspoken members who will not stand for the North French to be touched – and they've made their views pretty clear.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Garma organiser urges action on 'horrors in statistics'
Political leaders have been warned their attendance at one of Australia's largest cultural festivals is not enough to make progress for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Speaking at the annual Garma Festival at Gulkula, in northeast Arnhem Land, to a crowd that included several senior ministers and the prime minister, Yothu Yindi Foundation chief executive Denise Bowden said their presence was a powerful signal. "But don't leave Garma and leave things on endless repeat," she said. "Don't be here to think your attendance here is enough." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used his time at Garma to announce an economic partnership with Indigenous organisations, which he said built on Closing the Gap commitments and would empower communities to advocate for infrastructure on their lands. In her powerful address to the festival on Saturday, Ms Bowden told the crowd that despite the success of Garma, now in its 25th year, visitors would be leaving behind a "world that remains in crisis mode". "On Tuesday, we will return to a life dominated by the simple fact that Aboriginal people in remote areas of Australia remain the most marginalised people in the country, if not the world," she said. Ms Bowden highlighted high rates of rheumatic heart disease in Arnhem Land, saying the community of Maningrida, in the Northern Territory, has the highest rate of the condition in the world. She also pointed to the over-representation of First Nations people in custody to bring home her point, with the NT second only to El Salvador when it comes to incarceration rates. "We've become numb to this data and immune to the horrors that lie in the statistics," she said. Ms Bowden said the status quo was not acceptable, with recent Closing the Gap statistics showing four targets going backwards - adult incarceration, children in out-of-home care, suicide rates and child development. She said the Yothu Yindi Foundation had long argued the Closing the Gap data reflected a fundamental failure in Australia's governance systems, and that must change to make a real difference. "There are good intentions and what is described as hard work, but without crunching systemic change, there will be no betterment," she said. "People suffer because of these failures of governance that are imposed upon us." 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton eyes Indigenous interpretive signs for three ‘potentially problematic' monuments
The city is looking at adding interpretive signs reflecting Indigenous contributions and historical accounts at three 'potentially problematic' statue sites — but has not yet decided what to do with a Sir John A. Macdonald statue toppled by protesters in Gore Park. A council subcommittee voted this week to spend $20,000 to install new signs at the statues of Augustus Jones at a Stoney Creek fountain, Queen Victoria in Gore Park and those commemorating United Empire Loyalists in front of the provincial offences courthouse at 50 Main St. E. Separately, councillors endorsed further talks with the Indigenous community over the fate of the city's statue of Canada's first prime minister, which is currently in storage. The city had installed signs installed at four high-priority sites indicating the city is aware these sites are problematic and detailing the need for further action and consultation. Those proposals still need to be ratified at a full council meeting Aug. 6. The monuments were flagged as 'potentially problematic' for Indigenous people as part of a city's review of landmarks, an exercise rooted in reconciliation with First Nations. The four sites were an issue due to 'lack of Indigenous history or the misrepresentation of true history,' according to a 2022 report by the Circle of Experts, a group of elders, historians and leaders from the Indigenous community. Luc Gambacort, an Indigenous outreach project manager, said the city conducted surveys in 2024, offering options for what could be done at each site. The options included keeping statues and existing p laques unchanged, removing the plaques, adding signs that tells the Indigenous story of the sites, moving them to a museum or removing the monuments entirely. The Augustus Jones statue in Stoney Creek is one of three where the city appears set to install interpretive signage reflecting Indigenous contributions and historical accounts. Nearly 1,200 total surveys were completed, and Gambacort said adding signage was the popular answer at the downtown United Empire Loyalist site and the fountain commemorating magistrate and surveyor Augustus Jones, who is noted on a current plaque as having been 'actively involved' with Indigenous peoples. While nearly half of respondents suggested keeping the Queen Victoria monument and its 'model wife and mother' inscription unchanged, city staff still recommend adding new signage. The statue of Queen Victoria in Gore Park is one of three where the city appears set to install interpretive signage reflecting Indigenous contributions and historical accounts. Grace Mater, the city's general manager of healthy and safe communities, said more consultation with Indigenous groups will take place before new signs are installed, likely in 2026. The future of a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald that formerly stood in Gore Park — but was torn down by protesters in 2021 — was 'purposefully' not part of the latest report, Coun. Cameron Kroetsch told the committee Thursday. Instead, councillors voted to provide $30,000 to engage with the Indigenous community over the statue of Macdonald, who played a prominent role in establishing Canada's residential school system. Thousands of children were abused and died in the government-funded, church-run schools, which have since been labelled a 'systematic, government-sponsored attempt to destroy Aboriginal cultures and languages' by the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The city confirmed the statue is in storage and 'extensive restoration and repair would be required before it could be placed on display again.' Protesters tore down the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in Gore Park in 2021 after city council's refusal to remove the monument. Beth Dockstator, the city's manager of Indigenous relations, said in an email 'no decision' has been made on the future of the Macdonald statue. She added the monument would be addressed in a future phase of the city's review of landmarks 'after dedicated engagement with Indigenous communities and the broader public.' Mater also acknowledged the Macdonald statue is a 'hot-button' issue, but said there is no timeline yet for consultation on the fate of the monument. The 2022 Circle of Experts report recommended the city not relocate or reinstall the bronze statue. It suggested removing the remaining pedestal and cannons to create an opportunity to 're-vision' the prominent Gore Park site. Reinstallation, it said, would be a 'step in the wrong direction.' The city installed temporary signs at all four sites in 2023, reminding observers 'there is more than one story here.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: The Corporation for Public Broadcast is ‘winding down.' What does that mean for public radio and TV?
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced Friday that it will 'begin an orderly wind-down of its operations following the passage of a federal rescissions package… which excludes funding for CPB for the first time in more than five decades.' The budget for the next two years was $550 million per year, or $1.1 billion total. What does that mean for audiences who rely on public radio and television? In Chicago, that includes WBEZ and WTTW, but stations across the country will all be affected to some degree. Josh Shepperd is a professor of media studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and the author of 'Shadow of the New Deal: The Victory of Public Broadcasting.' A Chicago native and WBEZ alum (where he was a broadcast engineer), he shares some initial insights. The conversation has been edited for clarity and length. Q: What is the Corporation for Broadcasting and what role does it play in public radio and TV? A: The CBP was founded with the Public Broadcasting Act in 1967 in order to mitigate a possible political influence of the government on a publicly-funded broadcasting unit. If it were state-based media, then it would be propaganda messaging directly from the political party in power. So the CBP is one degree of separation through a corporation to a series of content creators, of which most are registered as non-profits. That's the affiliate network and there's about 1,500 of them. And what the CPB does is, it receives the money (allocated by the government) and then distributes that through block grants. NPR and PBS do get some of that, but last I read, NPR only gets 1% and PBS gets 15%, although it changes each year. But the affiliates (the individual stations) can get anywhere from 8% to 70% of their budget from the CBP. In Boston, for example, they get a lot of donations and don't need as much federal money. They'll have a sales structure where they produce a show like 'Antiques Road Show' and it will be purchased by a number of PBS affiliates. But the stations getting a higher percentage of the CBP budget are typically in rural areas, like Cairo, Illinois, that do not have the capacity for a lot of fundraising. And so what happens is, a lot of that money goes to operations and it essentially runs the transmitters or the antenna. The cutting of the CPB is a very extreme blow because it's not just an attack on certain content, it's that they're removing the capacity to broadcast at all, because there are no operational funds to be on the air. Q: Will the end result be that many public radio and television stations cease to exist? A: I think we're looking at 10-15 stations — that's a speculative number — might fall out of FCC compliance, meaning they can not afford to maintain their license. So we'll see shutdowns. It will disproportionately affect Indigenous communities and First Nations broadcasting. Almost all the infrastructural money for (broadcasting on) the reservations comes from the CPB. So almost all of them will shut down. That's 20-something stations. In areas like far southern Illinois that aren't Southern Illinois University territory, so not Carbondale — they have a TV and a radio station, and because it's based at a university, that's helped to maintain some stabilization of public media in rural areas — but a really rural part an hour or two away, those areas will be without local news completely because all the corporations that bought the local newspapers have disinvested in local journalism. It essentially nationalizes content for those areas, so that local cultures no longer exist to themselves anymore. Q: The reason the CPB is 'winding down' is because they exist to distribute federal funds and now there is zero money for them to distribute? A: It's mind-blowing in a lot of ways. I think it's possible it will come back, or it will wind down to a skeleton that can be rebuilt later. But it's like the spine within the body; without the spine, you have a bunch of organs and some flesh. It's everything. Without the CPB, you don't have public media — although you might still have NPR and PBS, because they might be able to find self-sustaining ways to continue to make programs. But it ceases to be public media as we understand it. Q: How might this affect the Chicago market? A: It's going to hurt everyone. It is safe to say that WTTW, which is one of the 10 major public television stations in the country — it produces content, it has a wide and loyal viewership — will almost inevitably have to make layoffs. It will probably affect the kinds of content they're able to produce. It will affect educational outreach. It will decimate every station to some extent. They will probably get an increase in donations for a while, and if the political winds change again, they could rebuild the CPB. But in the interim, it'll be very bad. I try to be moderate in explaining how this works, but this is an ideological project to remove local news access from rural communities, which only have one or two news sources. It eliminates access to information within one's own community. This is about changing the information ecosystem that eliminates local news and replaces it with national news. Q: The situation sounds dire. A: I would call it the most dire situation I've ever seen for any public media system in the west, including Europe. Most of the media we interact with is commercial media, like HBO or something like that. But it's fundamentally different in non-commercial and public media in that public media is built around a mission statement, not the attempt to recoup an investment and profit. It's built around an idea or a principle, and the principle is equal access to information. Before the '60s, it was all educational and called educational television, and it was there to provide equal access to education during segregation. So the idea for public media is to realize democratic access. The entire purpose of it is different from commercial media — even though I love commercial media a lot — so it's really important for democracy that we have this experiment going. And it's such a nominal cost, it's something like $1.60 per person per year.
