Doug Ford apologizes to Ontario First Nations for his 'passionate' comments
OTTAWA — Ontario Premier Doug Ford has apologized to Ontario First Nations for saying they cannot 'keep coming hat in hand all the time to the government' for more money.
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On Thursday, Ford met with chiefs who are part of Anishinabek Nation, which represents 39 First Nations in the province. Before the meeting started, he issued an apology to them and repeated his apology in public during a press conference after the meeting.
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'I just want to say I sincerely apologize for my words, not only if it hurt all the chiefs in that room, but all First Nations,' he said.
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'We are looking at today as a new day going forward,' she said.
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Ford made those comments on Wednesday over concerns that First Nations in the province have over the passage of Bill 5, which gives the province the power to suspend municipal and provincial laws for projects through so-called special economic zones.
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Ford has said the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario will be declared the first such zone. While First Nations have said they want to be part of economic development, they are outraged by the government's decision to proceed with legislation before consulting them.
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Ford dismissed those concerns during an unrelated press conference.
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'This is like handing an opportunity on a silver platter to First Nations that, by the way, I have treated like gold,' he said. 'But there's going to be a point that you can't just keep coming hat in hand all the time to the government, you've got to be able to take care of yourselves.'
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Ford continued: 'When you literally have gold mines, nickel mines, every type of critical mineral that the world wants, and you're saying, 'No, no, I don't want to touch that, by the way, give me money' — not going to happen.'
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Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak urged Ford to withdraw his remarks in a letter sent Thursday, saying that his words 'only serve to perpetuate racist stereotypes and are not acceptable in any way or circumstance.'
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