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Bill 5 was passed last week and demands that we respond to uphold Indigenous rights, Treaty responsibilities and environmental justice. Here’s our proposed way forward – together.

As lawyers, we took an oath to ensure access to justice and champion the rule of law. This oath bestows a privilege but also a responsibility to advance the cause of justice and safeguard the rights and freedoms of all persons in Ontario. In light of recent legislation proposed by the Ontario government, this oath — and by extension the Law Society Act that makes it operative — are jeopardized.

Submit a written comment to the Standing Committee on the Interior. Part of the Standing Committee’s role in studying Bill 5 is considering the perspectives of members of the public to get a fuller picture of the potential impacts of the bill. Show the government that people care, people are concerned, and Bill 5’s attempt to evict Indigenous rights and nature from law won’t go unnoticed.

The Ontario government is seeking to make sweeping, regressive amendments to provincial laws under Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025. This bill will have detrimental impacts on Indigenous rights, environmental health, wildlife protection, and our rights to participate in government decision-making. On top of that, Bill 5 makes it nearly impossible to bring a legal challenge against the government.

In December 2024, the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario (Auditor General) – an independent body responsible for overseeing the Ontario government’s spending of public funds and compliance with laws and policies – released its Performance Audit on the Operation of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 (EBR) and found that the Province does not always meet its obligations.