The leader of an Ontario First Nation is warning the Ford government it could face lawsuits, protests and disruptions of major Toronto-area highways if the province passes the controversial Bill 5 into law.
The legislation, which critics say gives the premier and his cabinet extraordinary powers to create “no law zones” across Ontario, is set to be fast-tracked this week before MPPs break for the summer.
Once it passes, the government is promising to honour its duty to consultation obligations by meeting with First Nations during the summer about its proposal to create Indigenous-led economic zones, allowing Northern Ontario communities to fast-track infrastructure projects.
First Nation leaders, however, have already signalled the Ford government’s efforts have fallen flat with Indigenous communities, which are now preparing for an Idle No More-style confrontation.
“It’s going to start to look like rallies. It could look like highways being shut down during major weekends, that Ontarians like to drive on to their cottages,” Shelly Moore-Frappier, chief of the Temagami First Nation, told Focus Ontario.
While Moore-Frappier said First Nations are also considering legal action against Bill 5, she underscored that actions, such as blockading Highway 400 – a major access point used by cottage country travellers, including Premier Ford – is under serious consideration.
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“It’s a guarantee,” Moore-Frappier said of First Nation protests. “What else do we have left to do when they’re ignoring the concerns that we have and they’re refusing to consult with First Nations?”
On Friday, Ford said highway blockades would be “very disappointing” and suggested First Nations would lose public support if they disrupted heavily used highways.
“What I’m understanding, there’s a very small vocal group that are saying this,” Ford said.
“They think that Ontarians and Canadians are gonna be in favour when you block a railroad, you block a road? That’s counterproductive,” Ford said.
While the government has scrambled to repair the bill in order to avoid confrontation with Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario, First Nations chiefs have rejected the proposals as “after the fact” consultation.
“They’re going to pass the bill and then we’re waiting on the graciousness of the Crown,” Moore Frappier said. “We can’t be betting on essentially good words.”
While Moore-Frappier said the government needs to consult the rights holders of the lands that could be designated economic zones in order to pave the way ahead, Ford said his party is “moving forward” with communities that are on board with the province’s plans.
“There’s certain areas, they just don’t wanna do anything, fine,” Ford said on Friday. “You don’t want to do anything? You’re left behind.”
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