I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my deep concern and opposition to the proposed amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act under Schedule 7 of Bill 5. These changes would grant the Lieutenant Governor in Council the power to exempt developments from archaeological assessments if they align with broadly defined “provincial priorities,” including transit, housing, health care, and infrastructure. This loophole is so large and vague it essentially threatens to eliminate the requirement for archaeological assessments across nearly all development in the province.

From a practical standpoint, this opens the door to selective exemptions, political favoritism, and a marketplace of influence. How will exemptions be granted? Who will oversee them? What input will experts be allowed and will they be heard? Without transparency or strict criteria, this bill violates the principles of procedural fairness — that all individuals and projects are treated equally under the law. These amendments would undermine public trust and democratic integrity.

The legislation is in direct conflict with Canada’s commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Article 11 guarantees the right of Indigenous peoples to protect and maintain their archaeological and cultural heritage. Ontario has long failed to fully uphold Section 35 of the Constitution regarding Indigenous treaty rights in land-use planning. Bill 5 only exacerbates this failure, pushing us further from reconciliation.

Beyond the legal and political issues, I want to speak from a broader human perspective.

This bill represents not just a step backward — but the beginning of our journey away from civilization. A civilized society is not just buildings, roads, our GDP. It is symbolized but our ability to appreciate the arts, honour our past, preserve what we’ve inherited, and ensure future generations can benefit and learn from it. Civilization is when a society has the luxury of being able to protect the old while building new. It’s not treating heritage like an obstacle to bulldoze, but like an important part of who we are, to be seen and celebrated.

Right now, we are all frightened. The economy is unstable. Global tensions are undoubtedly rising. But panic should not dictate policy. Panic is leading us to take actions, like Bill 5, that will destroy what humanity has worked for millennia to achieve. Are we really at the top of that mountain now? About to push the ball down the other side? We won’t be able to catch it once it’s left our hands. This is the beginning of our fall.

This Bill, these amendments, are saying that fear and urgency are reasonable replacements for achievement and learning. We do not need to choose between survival and civilization. We can have both.

This Bill, if passed, is not a measure of economic resilience — it will be a moment when we chose regression over progress. When we opened the gates to let our most cherished values crumble because the actions of the United States have scared us into doing so.

Let’s not follow them down the path of their own destruction.