KENORA — Ontario’s Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford is reassuring First Nations that they’ll have a say in how “special economic zones” will be created for fast-tracking permits and expediting construction on major mining projects.
After the passage of the contentious Bill 5 (Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act) in June, the Ford government is attempting to smooth the waters with irate Indigenous leaders by promising a “separate consultation pathway” to devise the criteria for “Indigenous-led special economic zones.”
Rickford’s June 13 letter, sent to at least two chiefs in the Treaty 9 area, was obtained by Northern Ontario Business.
In his overtures to First Nations, Rickford said the province wants to work with Indigenous partners on development and implementation of regulations related to special economic zones.
In his letter, Rickford said these zones will only be designated after meaningful consultation and engagement with Indigenous communities takes place. The government wants to create a “separate consultation pathway for these zones and the criteria to support them,” he said.
“I want to be clear: the criteria and decision-making framework to support special economic zones and Indigenous-led special economic zones will be made in consultation with Indigenous communities,” said Rickford.
Premier Doug Ford confirmed that the mineral-rich Ring of Fire in the James Bay region will be designated as a special economic zone as quickly as possible.
Rickford and Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce are tempering those expectations by adding Ontario would hold off until all the impacted First Nations in the area had been consulted.
Gaining access to the Ring is a key part of the Ford government’s agenda to face down U.S. tariffs to create a “more competitive, resilient and self-reliant” economy.
“Given the urgency of the threats to our province and country, we must act with speed,” said Rickford in his letter.
Neither Rickford’s ministry office nor Ford’s office responded to questions to provide more detail and clarification on the offerings made in the letter.
Almost two decades after the discovery of high-grade nickel and chromite in the James Bay region, development to build mines and roads in the Ring of Fire remains stalled, largely due to inaction and apathy from previous governments. However, a slew of technical, environmental and holistic studies continue.
Now, the ongoing tariff and trade war with the U.S. has created an urgency in Queen’s Park and Ottawa to clear the regulatory path and get critical mineral mine projects into production.
In his letter, Rickford emphasized the time is now to capitalize on this “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to create a legacy of prosperity for First Nation communities and “empower” them to thrive.
Whether leaders in the Treaty 9 area, who felt blindsided by the introduction of Bill 5, will come to the negotiating table to work out the details of these economic zones, remains to be seen.
A query sent by Northern Ontario Business to Nishnawbe Ask Nation (NAN) — representing the James Bay Treaty 9 communities —asking for reaction to the government’s letter produced no comment, although a NAN communication spokesperson requested a copy of the Rickford letter.
A similar query sent to the chiefs and administration of the Matawa First Nations — the tribal council representing the communities closest to the Ring of Fire —asking for comment, also produced no response.
Though the Matawa chiefs didn’t respond to Northern Ontario Business, the chief of Neskantaga told Ricochet that they’re prepared to go to the barricades.
The dialogue didn’t get off to a promising start when federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser had to apologize for his remarks that First Nations do not possess a veto over nation-building projects. Similarly, Ontario Premier Doug Ford admittedly stumbled in his comments, implying that Indigenous communities were impeding mine development.
Jason Batise, executive director of the Wabun Tribal Council, said if anyone thinks First Nations are an obstacle to development, think again.
“Talk to us. We are not the bottleneck to development.”
Wabun is a Timmins-based tribal council within Treaty 9 comprised of the First Nations of Brunswick House, Chapleau Ojibwe, Flying Post, Matachewan, Mattagami, and Beaverhouse. The progressive organization has a history of success in signing many mutually beneficial agreements with the mining industry in northeastern Ontario.
Batise said most First Nations have no issue with eliminating duplicative processes and regulations.
“We’re not part of the government bureaucracy that slows things down.”
But First Nations, he said, don’t necessarily share the government’s same sense of urgency.
“We don’t. The tariffs are not a problem of our making.”
Though supportive of his fellow Canadians, Batise questions the provincial and federal governments' motives in creating an emergency imperative to rush major projects through without consulting First Nations and disrespecting treaty rights.
Many Indigenous leaders, he said, are still trying to wrap their heads around the implications of both the provincial and federal Bill 5s and what it will mean to their individual communities and autonomy.
Though government is saying all the right things about consultation and protecting rights, Batise answers: How are we going to do that?”
Though many First Nations want the Ford government's Bill 5 withdrawn, Batise said it’ll be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for the premier to rewind what’s been done and kill the bill.
The best course of action is for First Nations to find a way to affect those regulations, Batise said, bring certainty and allay legitimate fears about the creation of special economic zones.
“So how do we protect Indigenous FN Treaty 9 rights within the context of that regulation?”
To Batise, the promise of consultation by government is just a repetitive word. “Consultation is just talk.”
To the Wabun communities, “consultation never moves forward without accommodation,” he said.
Accommodation means incorporating Indigenous ideas, thoughts on economic prosperity and including economic reconciliation pieces into regulations for development on their territorial lands, he said.
“What’s in it for us?" said Batise. “It’s callous to say it like that, but at the end of the day …."
He hopes Rickford’s statements imply that communities are actually going to impact development by controlling its pace and that things important to communities will be delivered with industry development.
In his letter, Rickford and the province are offering access to its $3-billion Indigenous Opportunities Finance Program and its $70-million Indigenous Participation Fund. Rickford is also asking the communities to come forward with their community infrastructure wish lists.
Originally published by Northern Ontario Business
