OTTAWA, ON – June 30th, 2025 – The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) recognizes the federal government’s intention through Bill C-5, the Building Canada Act, to modernize Canada’s approach to infrastructure and economic development. However, we must ensure that progress is not achieved at the expense of Indigenous rights.
As a Métis government recognized by Canada, the MNO stands firmly with other Indigenous governments in calling for the full implementation of Bill C-5 to be carried out in a way that respects Section 35 rights and reflects the Government of Canada’s obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We echo the Métis National Council’s call for clear, distinctions-based pathways for engagement that are co-developed with Indigenous governments. These pathways must recognize the unique role of Métis in Canada’s constitutional framework and provide real, enforceable mechanisms for upholding free, prior, and informed consent. National interest determinations and the development of project conditions under Bill C-5 should include early and ongoing consultation with rights-bearing Métis communities. Our people deserve to be included at the beginning of consultations, not as an afterthought.
As a Métis government that actively upholds strong environmental and cultural stewardship, the MNO believes that good governance and sound development go hand-in-hand. We are not an obstacle to progress. Indigenous governments are partners in building a better, more sustainable Canada.
We urge the Government of Canada to work with us, now and throughout the life of this legislation, to ensure that Bill C-5 delivers prosperity without undermining the constitutional and legal foundation of Indigenous rights in this country.
About the MNO:
The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) is the democratically elected—federally and provincially-recognized government of Métis citizens and communities in Ontario, including the Métis community in and around Sault Ste. Marie that was recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada in R v. Powley.
Media inquiries: Media@metisnation.org