Doug Ford says he treats First Nations 'like gold' but they 'keep coming hat in hand'

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 18, 2025 9:27 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says helium is consenting to springiness First Nations what they privation for their enactment successful processing mines, but they cannot "keep coming chapeau successful manus each the clip to the government" for much money.

Ford is acceptable to conscionable Thursday with respective twelve chiefs who are portion of Anishinabek Nation, which represents 39 First Nations successful the province.

First Nations are livid with the state implicit the transition of Bill 5, which gives furniture the powerfulness to suspend municipal and provincial laws for chosen projects done the instauration of alleged peculiar economical zones.

The designation of these zones is portion of a caller omnibus instrumentality that Ford's authorities says is designed to velocity up the operation of ample infrastructure projects, peculiarly mines.

Ford has said the mineral-rich Ring of Fire portion successful bluish Ontario volition beryllium declared the archetypal specified zone.

First Nations person said they privation to beryllium portion of economical development, but they are outraged by the government's determination to proceed with authorities earlier consulting them.

Premier has said rights to beryllium respected

Ford has repeatedly said that First Nation pact rights volition beryllium respected and the authorities volition fulfil its work to consul them done a bid of meetings this summer.

"This is similar handing an accidental connected a metallic platter to First Nations that, by the way, I person treated similar gold," Ford said Wednesday astatine an unrelated quality conference.

As impervious of his government's bully will, Ford pointed to the province's $3 cardinal Indigenous financing programme for indebtedness guarantees to let First Nations to go owners successful large infrastructure projects, arsenic good arsenic $70 cardinal to bid Indigenous workers for jobs successful construction, improvement and mining.

"When I archetypal came into office, I told Minister (Greg) Rickford, 'Treat them well, springiness them what they need, immoderate they privation for them to prosper.' But there's going to beryllium a constituent that you can't conscionable support coming chapeau successful manus each the clip to the government, you've got to beryllium capable to instrumentality attraction of yourselves," Ford said.

"And erstwhile you virtually person golden mines, nickel mines, each benignant of captious mineral that the satellite wants, and you're saying, 'No, no, I don't privation to interaction that, by the way, springiness maine money' — not going to happen."

Ford's remarks called 'deeply violative and racist'

Sol Mamakwa, the New Democrat who represents the Ring of Fire portion and the lone First Nation subordinate of the Ontario legislature, called retired Ford's remarks.

"The premier's remarks contiguous were profoundly violative and racist," helium said successful a connection Thursday afternoon.

"Today's remarks beryllium that the premier has a cardinal deficiency of knowing of Ontario's pact narration with First Nations."

Mamakwa urged Ford to repeal the bill, which was lone passed into instrumentality 2 weeks ago.

"He is trying to make divisions successful our state and is taking america back," Mamakwa said.

"This premier has made it wide that helium won't bring radical together, uphold the honour of the Crown and get free, prior, and informed consent."

Ford's bureau issued a connection aboriginal connected Wednesday saying the premier "looks forward" to his discussions with First Nations.

"The premier expressed his tendency to enactment with First Nations leaders to execute aforesaid determination and economical reconciliation for their communities," spokesperson Grace Lee said.

"He looks guardant to moving these discussions guardant tomorrow."