“Ford Watch: Ford Using Tariff Excuse to Jettison UNDRIP and Environmental Laws” by Moya Beall

Well, That Didn’t Take Long, Did It?

It was just a matter of time before Ford would respond to the corporate clarion call to use the tariff crisis as a reason to get rid of protective regulations. But it was still shocking to read Mr. Ford’s bullying comments to the federal government to “get out of our way” on the development of the so-called Ring of Fire, an area known to Indigenous peoples as “the Breathing Lands”, one of the largest carbon sinks in the world. This wasn’t just the kind of rude trash-talk that we Canadians don’t like. No, it was much worse.

It seems that our Premier is so hell-bent on extracting minerals in the area that he is willing to jettison our treaty obligations with Indigenous peoples. What a perfect target for Ford’s first post-election salvo against rights and protections…people and land far removed from our day-to-day lives in southern Ontario.

Ford, backed by investors, is willing to trample on provincial and federal legal requirements to consult with all of the Indigenous communities in the area. He’s thumbing his nose at his legal requirement to obtain their full prior and informed consent. He is ignoring the various lawsuits that have been launched by these communities to protect their lands and their rights. And, not surprisingly, given his abysmal record on environmental protections, Ford is eager to scrap provincial and federal environmental regulations designed to ensure careful stewardship of naturally-occurring features such as this carbon-sequestering system that is so vital to our collective existence.

This is largely for the benefit of a giant Australian mining company that is controlled by a billionaire. The company is eager to push ahead with its interests there, but without appropriate consultation. For example, the company has signed an agreement with several of the Indigenous nations for a project, but other Indigenous communities in the area claimthey have not been consulted. Call No. 92 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action  calls on the corporate sector to apply the principles of UNDRIP, committing to obtaining the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous peoples before proceeding with economic development projects.

Ford’s comments and intentions echo the disgusting display of bullying that took place in the Oval Office in Washington, when the U.S. President and Vice-President ganged up on the President of Ukraine to attempt access to that country’s minerals. With America’s underlying threat to seize our resources, Ford is seizing the moment as licence to allow the plundering of those very same resources in our province. He is taking advantage of his re-election to wage his own brand of economic aggression at home.

Ford called the election ostensibly to obtain a bigger mandate to address America’s economic aggression. He didn’t need an election to do this. And it would be a stretch to say he succeeded. Ford emerged with three fewer seats and in spite of all his grand-standing and chest-thumping, gained just a puny 2.2 per cent increase in popular vote. The fact remains that the majority of voters – 57 per cent – voted against Ford.

Ford’s comments and actions fly in the face of his pledge to ‘Protect Ontario’. And they make a lie of his expressed support for ‘Team Canada’ and commitment to work with all levels of government and “every political stripe.” The tariff situation does not mean that Ford is free to cast away his – and our – obligations to Indigenous peoples. Nor does it mean our protective regulations can be tossed in favour of a market-led redevelopment of our economy that favours corporations and oligarchs above the people and our environment.

‘Team Canada’ has to embody unity. It means no-one can be left behind and no-one, nor their rights, can be trampled on. It means governments, and corporations, and all of us, fully meeting obligations to Indigenous communities and now, more than ever it also means Ford fulfilling his outstanding, unfulfilled obligations from previous mandates.

For more information, please see

“Protect the Breathing Lands!–Indigenous Nations in Ontario Call to Solidarity” by John Huot

 and

“Canada’s Minerals Strategy: A Gift to Corporations?” by Gail Fairley