Bill C-39 fuels the dangerous foundations set by Bill C-5, giving the federal government the power to exempt projects and entire regions from laws that protect nature and Indigenous rights.
Together with Indigenous-led movements Here We Stand, Okiniwak and the Friends of the Attawapiskat River, we are calling on our elected officials to say NO to Bill C-39 and fast-tracking mining projects in the Ring of Fire without Indigenous consent or regard for biodiversity or climate change.
We don’t have much time to act.
Send a letter to your MP today.
Key Things to Know
Bill C-39 proposes to exempt projects from laws that protect nature and Indigenous rights should they fall within a ‘Region of National Interest’ and shift the review of high-risk projects from the Impact Assessment Agency to regulators known for their bias and lack of public trust.
Bill C-39 also directly threatens the pristine lands and waters in the Hudson-James Bay Lowlands in Treaty 9 territory, where the Ring of Fire could be among the first regions targeted as a ‘Region of National Interest.’
- Read our Briefing Note
- Read our Press Release
“Treaty rights, Natural laws and spiritual duties are much more than bypassable pieces of paper. There’s spirit, communities, and history behind these long stewarded traditional laws, that are far older than any colonial legacy, legislation and implementation – which only protrude from the surface. Without any roots, Bill 5, C-5 and newly tabled C-39 will topple by the hands of people, water, land and animals that these laws stand to negatively affect. Expect our presence, rooted in tradition, supported by love, and guided by unshakable faith in our Creator above.”
Ramon Kataquapit, Founder of Okiniwak
“The emergence of Ontario’s Bill 5 and Canada’s Bill C-5 last year set forth a dangerous precedent for not only the environment, but for the erosion of Indigenous Rights through government legislation. With the newly tabled Bill C-39 we find ourselves at a crossroads. What we do next isn’t a choice — it’s a responsibility to the future generations. When we talk about the protection of the environment, we talk about the protection of indigenous rights. You cannot erode one without eroding the other. There is no climate justice without Indigenous justice.”
Jeronimo Kataquapit, Founder of Here We Stand
“The constitutionality of Bill C-5 remains a live issue before the courts, and yet the federal government is proceeding with another bill that exacerbates already recognized threats to Indigenous rights and nature. We cannot be idle: if passed, the impacts of this bill would be lasting and forever. It's not enough to assess environmental damage after it has accumulated to the point of collapse. Regional assessments must protect against cumulative harm, not become a tool to accelerate it.”
Kerrie Blaise, Founder of LAND
How to Stay Involved
- Follow Indigenous land protectors taking action against Bill C-39 including Okiniwak and Here We Stand
- Read and share our detailed briefing note
- Make a donation to support our actions against Bill C-39
- Submit your concerns directly to the legislative committees tasked with studying Bill C-39:
- Submit a brief to the House of Commons Legislative Committee on Bill C-39 by October 26, 2026 at 5pm EST
- Submit a brief to the Special Senate Committee on Bill C-39 to the Clerk of the Committee (cscf@sen.parl.gc.ca)