Indigenous Communities Establish Settlement: Two Native Groups Constructing Habitat Near Proposed Bridge to Mining Region West Ring Fire
Gearing Up for a Political Standoff: Indigenous Communities Assert Sovereignty in Quest for Consultation
Jeronimo Kataquapit, a 20-year-old hailing from Attawapiskat First Nation, is spearheading a bold summer adventure with his family, complete with two 24-foot freighter canoes, a journey of 400 kilometers to the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario.
Their destination? A proposed bridge over the Attawapiskat River, where they will join forces with Neskantaga First Nation to erect a makeshift settlement and deliver a powerful message to the federal and provincial governments.
"This is our land," Kataquapit asserted in a recent phone conversation with The Canadian Press while under a tarp in his canoe. "This isn't just Attawapiskat's territory - every nation in the area has a claim."
With more than 200 liters of gasoline fueling their 25-horsepower canoe motors and a high-speed internet generator powering their Starlink kit, they plan to capture their odyssey on social media and stay connected to the outside world.
The family departed Attawapiskat on June 16 for their "Here We Stand" expedition—a rallying cry for First Nations, urging consultation ahead of any additional development and mining in the Ring of Fire.
This call to action was sparked by the rapid introduction and passage of Bill C-5, which Prime Minister Mark Carney's government claims is intended to expedite major, "national interest" projects. The bill, which recently passed in the Senate, follows the swift enactment of a similar bill at Queen's Park in Ontario.
These legislative bills have unleashed waves of outrage and protests at both Queen's Park and Parliament Hill, with First Nations members decrying the encroachment on their rights and the disregard of their concerns.
If the legislation isn't repealed, these communities have threatened to turn to road blockades, railways, and mines to halt development.
"There's no way the governments can appease those bills," Kataquapit stated emphatically. "Scrap it, then we can discuss other matters."
Neskantaga First Nation members have already ventured to the encampment site to prepare it, and plan to rejoin Kataquapit's family this week.
Approximately a dozen Neskantaga residents made their way by boat to the proposed river crossing, constructed a dock, and are prepared to endure the long haul.
"It's going to be a small community," said Chief Gary Quisess. "Our message is straightforward: no one can cross the Attawapiskat River without our free, prior, and informed consent."
Neskantaga is pounding for the government's aid to address their own community's predicament. Their nursing station recently flooded, leaving it boarded up. The First Nation also holds the dismal record of a 30-year ongoing boil-water advisory.
"We live in the third world," Quisess lamented.
The Ontario government has proposed three roads linking the provincial highway system to two First Nations, Webequie and Marten Falls, along with an exploration site known as Eagle's Nest within the Ring of Fire. Two environmental assessments have been completed for these roads, with a third underway, forecasting a construction timeline of four to six years. Two bridge crossings over the Attawapiskat River have also been suggested.
Both Attawapiskat and Neskantaga First Nations dwell alongside the Attawapiskat River, around 450 kilometers apart, and they revere the waters as the source of life, sustenance, and culture for generations. They hope to subsist on the river and the surrounding land once situated near the Ring of Fire.
"The river is a holy area, many of our ancestors are buried along the shoreline," Quisess underscored.
Premier Doug Ford expressed his intent to visit the northern regions this summer upon receiving an invitation from several First Nations, with plans to fish and break bread with community leaders in the hopes of facilitating support for their thriving, prospering, and developing communities.
In anticipation of his family's journey, Kataquapit held lengthy meetings to educate the community about the provincial and federal legislation, as well as producing several dozen Attawapiskat First Nation flags and family flags with handprints, signatures, and messages like "Kill Bill 5." These flags have been planted along the river route.
Their travel has been slow-going, with days exceeding nine hours and spanning up to 60 kilometers, and quieter days where the canoes cover between four and seven kilometers per hour.
"As the river dries up around this time, it becomes shallow in some areas, so we need to abandon the boats and wear our long boots to wade," Kataquapit explained. "It's arduous and tough, but we'll make it to stand with Neskantaga for all First Nations."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2025.
Liam Casey, The Canadian Press
Enrichment Insights:The opposition by Attawapiskat and Neskantaga First Nations to the Oak of Fire resource development comes from their fear of environmental and cultural damages, such as contamination of waterways, destruction of peatlands, and violations of treaty rights. The proposed development projects, like the mines at Oak of Fire, have roots in the colonial legacy of mining in the region, with historical projects causing harm, social problems, and minimal benefits for Indigenous communities while providing substantial revenues for the province. The legislation, such as Bill 5 in Ontario and Bill C-5 at the federal level, are perceived as efforts to weaken Indigenous rights and bypass the requirement of free, prior, and informed consent regarding resource development, thus threatening the lands, water, and ways of life of Indigenous peoples. The "Kill Bill 5" flags mark their opposition to this legislation, which they argue infringes on their treaty rights.
- Jeronimo Kataquapit and his family, from Attawapiskat First Nation, are using social media to document their 400-kilometer journey to the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario, aiming to deliver a message for consultation on further development and mining.
- The 'Here We Stand' expedition, led by Kataquapit, is a call to action for First Nations, urging consultation before any additional development in the Ring of Fire region.
- The call to action stems from the rapid introduction and passage of Bill C-5 and similar bills at Queen's Park in Ontario, which First Nations members believe encroach on their rights and disregard their concerns.
- If the legislation isn't repealed, these communities have threatened to use road blockades, railways, and mines to halt development.
- The environmental science community and general news outlets are covering the protests by the Indigenous communities, highlighting their concerns over potential environmental damage, cultural preservation, and the violation of treaty rights.
