Our Future First

Join at Queen’s Park for a Rally and Round Dance Opposing Bill 5 today
12:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Stand in unity with First Nations leadership and communities in defense of their inherent and treaty rights. You are asked to wear red
to show your support and solidarity during the peaceful gathering.

Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025, as written threatens the lands, jurisdiction, and sovereignty of First Nations.

This omnibus legislation would:

🪨Empower the province to declare “special economic zones” under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025, where provincial laws and municipal by-laws—including environmental and public-participation rules—would be suspended and “trusted proponents” would be given authority.
🪨Weaken mining protections and exempt major projects from Environmental Assessment Act reviews (e.g., Dresden landfill, Eagle’s Nest Mine).
🪨Repeal the Endangered Species Act, 2007, replacing it with a Species Conservation Act, 2025 – weakening species-at-risk safeguards and prioritizing economic growth over ecological and public-health protections.
🪨Exempt developments from archeological assessments if the Ontario government is of the opinion that an exemption could potentially advance provincial priorities.
🪨Archeological assessments often trigger the duty to consult

OverBill5

Pope Francis died at 88 on Easter Monday after his Urbi et Orbi message called for peace worldwide, for global disarmament, and for the release of prisoners.

This post is not reflective of my faith but I will miss Francis’ leadership and the pluralistic and compassionate tone he set:

“There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and respect for the views of others.

Nor is peace possible without true disarmament! The requirement that every people provide for its own defense must not turn into a race to rearmament. The light of Easter impels us ... to care for one another, to increase our mutual solidarity, and to work for the integral development of each human person.”