Chiefs of Ontario issue urgent warning on Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, and will rally on Parliament Hill
(Toronto, Ont.–June 14, 2025) The Chiefs of Ontario have issued a clear and urgent response to Bill C-5, the federal government’s proposed One Canadian Economy Act. Following an emergency meeting today, the Chiefs of Ontario Leadership Council passed a resolution strongly opposing both the content of the bill and the undemocratic process being used to rush it through Parliament without meaningful consultation or study.
The federal government has blocked First Nations in Ontario from speaking in committee. So they’ll have to face them on the Hill. First Nations will rally on Tuesday, June 17 at 12:30 p.m.
Bill C-5 proposes sweeping new powers that would allow the federal government to fast-track major infrastructure projects. Under the legislation, a single federal minister would be authorized to approve projects, override regulatory protections, and bypass environmental and social safeguards, all without returning to Parliament for further approval.
First Nations Leadership reject this model and are calling for any engagement process to be distinctions based and rooted in the recognition of rights, jurisdiction, and the free, prior, and informed consent of First Nations.
“First Nations are not opposed to development. We want to build and we want to partner. But we cannot accept a law that can remove us from the consultation process,” said Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict. “We were not properly consulted before the Bill was tabled, and we have been excluded throughout its study. These decisions are being made about our lands, our rights, and our future.”
Chiefs of Ontario is particularly alarmed that Bill C-5 allows cabinet to designate projects as being in the “national interest,” effectively guaranteeing them federal approval, even where they infringe on First Nations rights, harm the environment and/or pose risks to public health.
Despite the bill’s far-reaching impacts, First Nations were given fewer than seven days to respond to an outline of the bill, with no ability to read the full text. Now, Parliament is on track to pass the bill in under a week. This not only defies colonial government’s own principles of transparency and accountability but also directly contradicts Canada’s own laws, namely United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
“This is not how partners are treated,” said Temagami First Nation Chief Shelly Moore, who introduced the emergency resolution. “A meaningful role in development cannot be reduced to a checkbox. Our rights are not obstacles. They are the foundation of this country’s future.”
Chiefs of Ontario is urging all members of parliament and senators to consider the precedent they are setting. If passed in its current form, Bill C-5 would hand unprecedented authority to cabinet including the power to override laws, rewrite environmental regulations and sidestep constitutional obligations.
“Every parliamentarian, regardless of party, should ask themselves if they are willing to give this or any future cabinet the unchecked authority to bypass the laws and rights that define Canada,” said Regional Chief Benedict. “That is what this bill enables. It is not just a question of how we build; it is a question of who gets to decide, and whether First Nations are part of that future.”
The Chiefs of Ontario Leadership Council has launched an immediate strategy opposing Bill C-5. Outreach is also underway to coordinate a national coalition. First Nations across the province are preparing testimony and legal submissions for any parliamentary committees studying the bill.
Chiefs of Ontario is calling on all First Nations Peoples, allies and likeminded individuals to come in solidarity against Bill C-5 on Tuesday, June 17. Tell the government our collective rights are not negotiable.
When: Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 12:30 p.m.
Where: Parliament Hill, 111 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Why: Rally with First Nations in Ontario against Bill C-5