Grand Chief Joel Abram Opposes Bill 5 at Queen’s Park

Grand Chief Joel Abram, on behalf of the Chiefs of Ontario, strongly opposes Bill 5 ( Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025), calling it a dangerous and undemocratic piece of legislation.

He outlines four major concerns: the erosion of protections for heritage and burial sites, the exclusion of First Nations from mining decisions, the rollback of key environmental laws, and the introduction of deregulated special economic zones that bypass consultation.

He urges the Ontario government to halt the bill and engage in meaningful, rights-based consultation that respects both constitutional and international obligations.