I’m writing to you not just…

I’m writing to you not just as a young Ontarian, but as an Indigenous woman and the daughter of two Canadian Armed Forces veterans who served this province and this country with honour.

When I read about Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, I felt alarmed and disappointed. Bill 5 has indeed unleashed something, but not prosperity and growth in Ontario; it has unleashed havoc and destruction within Ontario's beautiful wildlife and ecosystems.

Your Bill panders and enables big industries and developers to pave the way to pave over our beautiful lands and nature. You must think about WHO this Bill is protecting. It is not protecting the sacred Indigenous lands of Canada, it is not protecting the animals that live in these lands and are forced to relocate into urban areas, it's protecting the major industries who don't care about Ontarians or the well-being of our Province. Indigenous communities, working-class families, and veterans often feel the brunt of deregulation when protections around labour, land, and the environment are weakened.

My parents served to protect people, not profits. Yet this bill seems to prioritize the interests of corporations over the well-being of everyday Ontarians. The ripple effects, on access to clean water, safe workplaces, and public services, hit communities like mine the hardest.

I urge you to reconsider the direction this bill is taking. Economic development should not come at the expense of Indigenous rights, environmental safety, or the values of fairness and care that make Ontario worth fighting for.

Please ensure that Indigenous voices, veterans’ families, and everyday citizens are heard before any decisions are finalized. We deserve transparency, consultation, and real respect, not just for our past contributions, but for our future.