Subject: Opposition to Bill…

Subject: Opposition to Bill 5 and the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025

I strongly oppose Bill 5 and the Special Economic Zones Act, 2025, as they directly contradict Ontario’s legal and policy commitments to Indigenous consultation, environmental protection, and reconciliation. This legislation enables development without the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous communities, undermining constitutional rights, environmental safeguards, and the province’s own stated values.

I urge the Government of Ontario to:

1. Withdraw or significantly amend Bill 5 to ensure full compliance with constitutional and environmental law.
2. Guarantee that no Special Economic Zone can be designated without the free, prior, and informed consent of affected Indigenous communities.
3. Restore robust environmental protections, including the Endangered Species Act (2007) and full environmental assessments.

Ontario’s economic goals must not come at the expense of Indigenous rights, ecological integrity, and the province’s own commitments to reconciliation. This opposition comes not only as an Indigenous youth, but also as an Ontario public servant.

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