Eagle Lake First Nation …

Eagle Lake First Nation (ELFN) expresses deep concern regarding the proposed amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act, included in Schedule 7 of Bill 5. These amendments allow the Lieutenant Governor in Council to exempt property from archaeological assessments and heritage protections when deemed to advance provincial priorities.

This undermines the integrity of heritage protection in Ontario and endangers sacred sites, burial grounds, and other areas of cultural and spiritual significance to Indigenous peoples. The proposal does not include any mechanism to notify or consult First Nations if ancestral remains or sacred items are discovered, violating our cultural rights and obligations to our ancestors.

The amendments are inconsistent with Canada’s obligations under UNDRIP, particularly Article 11 (protection of cultural traditions and sacred sites) and Article 12 (repatriation of ceremonial objects and remains). This lack of due process and consultation violates both domestic and international legal standards and must be withdrawn or fundamentally revised in partnership with First Nations.