‘They treat us like shit’: Northern Ontario First Nations prepare for blockades to protest laws fast-tracking resource extraction

By Jon Thompson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ricochet The resistance to the Ring of Fire is now making camp. Members of Neskantaga and Attiwapiskat First Nationshave begun clearing brush at the point where proposed highways would cross the Attawapiskat River, headed north toward the mineral deposit that’s suspected to hold more than $60-billion worth of critical minerals. The planned bridge sites are 60 and 70 kilometres east of Neskantaga, and another 100 kilometres southwest from the Eagle’s Nest, the mine site developers expect will begin production first. Neskantaga Chief Gary Quisess says the action is in response to this month’s passage of Bill 5 and Bill C-5. The provincial and federal laws, respectively, aim to expedite development by overriding existing laws, including environmental guardrails and regulatory frameworks for First Nations…

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