The Ontario Prime Minister, Doug Ford, apologizes for the comments he made this week saying that the first nations cannot “continue seeing the hat in the hand all the time to the government” for more money.
Ford said he apologized during a meeting at Queen’s Park on Thursday with several dozen bosses who are part of the Anishinabek nation, which represents 39 first nations in the province.
“I sincerely apologize for my words, not only if it hurts all bosses in that room, but all the first nations,” Ford said.
“I am passionate because I want prosperity for their communities. I want prosperity for their children and grandchildren.”
The head of the Great Council of the Nation Anishinabek, Linda Debassige, who appeared with Ford at a press conference after the meeting, told journalists that the prime minister has “possessed what he said” and “corrected” for the comment of “Hat in his hand.”
Ford has also pledged to work with the first nations as a good treaty partner, he said.
“While there are many other rightists in this province, our bosses felt today that the apology was sincere,” he said.
“We are seeing today as a new day in the future.”
The opposition to bill 5 remains
The Ford government recently approved Bill 5, which gives the cabinet the power to suspend the municipal and provincial laws of the projects chosen through the creation of the so -called special economic zones.
The prime minister has said that the first area of this type would be the Fire Ring Region in Northern Ontario, which is said to be rich in critical minerals.
The Law of Special Economic Zone is part of an Omnibus bill that the Government says that it is necessary to accelerate the construction of large infrastructure projects, particularly mines.
The bill 5 has caused outrage among the first nations throughout the province that see the new law as another example of a government that tramples their rights and ignoring their concerns.
Many first nations have threatened to block roads, railways and mines if the bill is not repealed.
On Wednesday, Ford said he is willing to give the first nations what they want so that support develops mines, but that came with a warning.
“When I went into office for the first time, I told Minister (Greg) Rickford: ‘Tract them well, give them what they need, whatever they want to prosper.’ But there will be a point where he cannot continue to see the hat in his hand all the time to the government, they must take care of themselves,” said Ford.
“And when you literally have gold mines, nickel mines, all kinds of critical mineral that the world wants, and you are saying: ‘No, no, I don’t want to touch that, by the way, give me money,’ it will not happen.”
Prime Minister’s comments went out
The conviction for those comments was quick. Cindy Woodhouse Napinak, national head of the assembly of the first nations (AFN), wrote in a letter to Ford on Thursday that each first nation has the right to express its objections.
“As Prime Minister, he must support those rights, not rule out them pejoratively,” Nepinak wrote. “Their comments only serve to perpetuate racist stereotypes and are not acceptable in any way or circumstance.
“The first nations have expressed substantive legal concerns that require dialogue and resolution respectful of the crown.”
Debassige told journalists at the press conference on Thursday that the first nations within the Anishinabek nation are still opposed to bill 5, saying that the representatives have spoken with the prime minister to propose “ideas and solutions.”
“We are not here to perpetuate a circus, to perpetuate the wrong information: we remain firm in the rights of our nations, we remain firm when supporting those rights and how our first nations will work with the crown,” he said.
