The Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) is voicing strong opposition to Ontario’s newly passed Bill 5, calling it a threat to Indigenous rights, environmental stewardship, and culturally significant sites across its traditional territory.
In an interview with CKNXNewsToday.ca, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation Chief Greg Nadjiwon said the Nation remains firmly committed to protecting the land and waters of their territory, despite what he called a "frustrating" legislative shift by the Ontario government.
"We have an obligation to the land and the water, from the air we breathe,” Nadjiwon said. "Regulation has been put in place for these protections. Bill 5 claws that back."
Chief Nadjiwon criticized the bill’s acceleration of development projects without adequate regard for long-term consequences. "It opens a scenario to doing things kind of in a haphazard way, through 'project now, pay later.' And we will pay later," he said.
He added that while frustration is mounting, it’s not just Indigenous communities raising red flags. The Chief compared the province’s approach reminiscent of a "drill, drill, drill" mentality. "I’m not angry," he said, "I’m frustrated over this new approach of pushing projects in the country coast to coast."
While Chief Nadjiwon said while Bill 5 doesn’t erase treaty rights, the legislation still creates tension.
"It really doesn’t affect treaty rights, if you look at it through the eyes I’m looking through. Treaty rights are treaty rights. They’re constitutionally protected and we’ll continue to adhere to those rights," he explained.
One of the most alarming parts of Bill 5 for SON leadership is the proposed change to the Ontario Heritage Act, which would make it easier for developers to bypass requirements protecting archaeological and burial sites.
Chief Nadjiwon noted the frequent discovery of culturally significant artifacts across the Bruce Peninsula and down to Southampton and Port Elgin. "We’ll have to wait until it happens, where there’s desecration of remains. We have to wait for that to happen and then you’ll see our response," he said.
In its public statement, SON warns that the removal of these safeguards "poses a direct threat to sites of profound cultural and spiritual importance."
The Nation’s written submission, sent to the Environmental Registry of Ontario and multiple provincial ministries, calls Bill 5 "an attack on our rights and way of life." It highlights how the bill would weaken protections for endangered species, strip independent scientific oversight, and create Special Economic Zones where provincial laws and municipal governance could be bypassed, all without clear First Nations consultation.
SON says the legislation also ignores the 2010 SON-Ontario Energy Agreement, which obligates Ontario to consult the Nation on energy developments within their territory. The omission, SON argues, undermines existing legal frameworks that have been used to fulfill consultation duties.
Asked whether SON anticipates any legal action in response to Bill 5, Chief Nadjiwon didn’t hesitate.
"Oh, all kinds," he said. "There’s probably people in Bloor and Bay Street right now sitting around tables planning how they’re going to respond on the legal front. It’s going to be all kinds, that’s the reality."