The Power of Unity, The Dignity of Difference

The Matawa Chiefs Council (MCC) continues to advance a united strategy in response to Ontario’s Bill 5, ensuring the protection of Matawa First Nations’ rights, lands, and decision-making authority.

Correspondence from Matawa Chiefs Council

• Matawa Chiefs Council Letter to Premier Ford – June 9, 2025
  Outlines the Chiefs Council’s concerns regarding Ontario’s Bill 5 and calls for respectful engagement and recognition of First Nations jurisdiction.
• Media Release: Matawa Chiefs Council Continues to Advance Strategic Vision and Endurance Amid Passage of Ontario’s Bill 5 – June 9, 2025
  Announces the Council’s continued commitment to collaboration, resilience, and strategic leadership following the passing of Bill 5.

Correspondence to First Nations

• Matawa Chiefs Council Letter to Leadership of Assembly of First Nations, Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation – June 9, 2025
  Shares Matawa Chiefs Council’s position on Bill 5 and encourages joint advocacy among regional and national Indigenous organizations.

Correspondence from First Nations and Others

• Eabametoong First Nation Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau et al. – March 6, 2025
  Expresses concerns about federal and provincial approaches to development in the Ring of Fire region.
• Neskantaga First Nation Letter to Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Modernization Program – April 24, 2025
  Highlights issues with Ontario’s environmental assessment modernization and its impacts on Indigenous communities.
• Eabametoong First Nation Media Release: Genuine First Nation Partnerships must be the Backbone of Sustainable Development – May 14, 2025
  Provides public commentary on Ontario’s policy changes and their implications for First Nations.
• Neskantaga First Nation Statement: We Strongly Opposes Passage of Bill 5 – June 5, 2025
  Updates the public on continued resistance to Bill 5 and outlines next steps for advocacy.
• Eabametoong First Nation Letter to Prime Minister Carney and Premier Ford – June 6, 2025
  Calls for direct dialogue and accountability in decisions impacting First Nations lands and governance.
• Aroland First Nation Media Release: Public Statement on Bill 5 and Premier Ford’s Misleading Comments – June 9, 2025
  Addresses misinformation regarding Aroland First Nation’s position and reiterates their stance on mining and Bill 5.
• Eabametoong First Nation Media Release: You Can Change Your Laws, But You Can’t Change Our Rights – June 12, 2025
  Reiterates calls for meaningful consultation and partnership in legislative and resource development decisions.
• Canadian Press Article: “Two First Nations Working on Roads to the Ring of Fire Do Not Support New Mining Law” – June 12, 2025
  Highlights the positions of Aroland and Marten Falls First Nations on Ontario’s new mining legislation.

Matawa Chiefs Council Support participates in the Community Reintegration Planning Table (CRPT) — an initiative developed through a partnership between Ontario and the Provincial Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee.

The CRPT takes a person-centered approach to release planning for individuals leaving the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre and Thunder Bay Jail. It ensures that people who consent to participate have access to coordinated supports in areas such as housing, health care, mental health and addictions, financial stability, safety, and cultural connection.

As one of the first sites for this program, the Thunder Bay CRPT brings together provincial ministries and community organizations — including Indigenous service providers — to improve coordination, streamline referrals, and build stronger relationships between justice, health, and social service systems.

This collaborative model is designed to help high-needs individuals reintegrate safely and successfully into their home communities with the support of culturally appropriate and wraparound services.