Neskantaga First Nation Strongly Opposes Passage of Bill 5: Official Statement – NetNewsLedger
June 6, 2025
Neskantaga First Nation strongly opposes the passage of Ontario’s Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025.
The grassroots people of our remote First Nation community are offering a clear statement: we will protect the Attawapiskat River System and we will protect our homelands. Any attempt to “fast track” mining and infrastructure development in our territory without our consent will be met by our people on the ground.
We, the Anishinaabe people of Neskantaga First Nation live on the headwaters of the Attawapiskat River. It is the lifeline of our community. We use the whole river to hunt, fish, trap and as a means of transportation. It is the most vital source of health and life to our people. Bill 5 is an immediate threat to the environment, plant and animal life, and the traditional land users who have all depended on this land since time immemorial.
