ANISHINABEK NATION HEAD OFFICE (July 22, 2025) – The Anishinabek Nation wishes to acknowledge the invitation extended by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Chair of the Council of the Federation, to meet in Huntsville, Ontario, on July 21, 2025, as more than a formal engagement. It is a meaningful step towards strengthening the nation-to-nation relationship that our ancestors envisioned and that we continue to uphold today. This gathering represented an important opportunity to foster dialogue, build understanding, and advance our collective efforts toward a stronger, more respectful relationship with the provincial and federal governments. 

As the Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief, my role in attending this meeting is rooted in our duty to advocate for our citizens, uphold our rights, and ensure that our Anishinabek First Nation’s voices are heard and, more importantly, respected at the highest levels of government. Our presence and participation are vital to ensuring that our First Nation’s concerns are not only raised but also meaningfully addressed. We recognize that Chiefs have expressed concerns about not always being included or partaking in critical discussions affecting our nations, and I want to reaffirm our commitment to advocacy and support on behalf of our First Nations that are the rights holders. 

It is of utmost importance that the Government of Ontario and other jurisdictions speak directly to rights holders—the First Nations themselves—rather than solely through intermediaries. This direct engagement respects our sovereignty and affirms our nation-to-nation relationship. We gathered not merely as regional leaders but as stewards of a shared history that predates this nation-state – a history rooted in enduring treaties, sacred agreements. This relationship is a sacred covenant symbolizing peace, friendship, and mutual respect between our peoples and the Crown, which began in 1764, that recognized our sovereignty as Nations. 

We wish to emphasize that our Nations do not oppose development; we oppose exclusion. The Anishinabek Nation did not come to block the road to progress but rather to build a bridge that reduces risk, promotes inclusion, fosters true reconciliation, and creates pathways for meaningful collaboration with our First Nations. The only way forward is through genuine partnerships where treaty obligations are upheld, and the voices of rights holders are heard directly. Therefore, our strategy is centred on co-developing regulations and criteria through innovative tables that prioritize collaboration, mutual respect, and shared decision-making. We advocate for a process that fosters co-development, ensuring that regulation and criteria are developed jointly with our Nations, respecting our rights, responsibilities, and traditional knowledge. This approach is rooted in the understanding that the relationship is dynamic and must evolve through co-design and co-ownership. We advocate for regulatory innovation that reflects our shared commitments—ensuring that economic development benefits all and aligns with our inherent rights and sovereignty. 

In conclusion, the Anishinabek Nation remains committed to advocating for the nation-to-nation approach, working collaboratively with governments to advance our First Nation’s goals with a focus on building respectful, long-lasting relationships that benefit all parties. 

The Anishinabek Nation is committed to working collaboratively with government, industry, and other stakeholders to ensure that critical minerals extraction is conducted in a responsible and sustainable manner that respects our rights, protects our environment, and benefits our communities. We will not hesitate to use any and all available means at our disposal, including legal challenges, to protect our Treaty rights and defend our inherent rights to our lands and our resources. 

Miigwech, 

Linda Debassige
Grand Council Chief
Anishinabek Nation 

The Anishinabek Nation is a political advocate for 39 member First Nations across Ontario, representing approximately 70,000 citizens. The Anishinabek Nation is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.