In the News
This page highlights recent news stories and media coverage related to the Saugeen Ojibway Nation’s political advocacy, legal efforts, and environmental leadership. These articles reflect the ongoing work of Joint Council to protect our Rights, Territory, and future.
We encourage Members to stay informed on the issues that matter most to our Nation.
SON Sues Ontario for $167.6M Over Unpaid Salt Royalties and Exclusion
Saugeen Ojibway Nation is taking Ontario to court, seeking $167.6 million in damages for decades of unpaid salt royalties and exclusion from decisions on roughly 500 stone and sand quarries within its 1.5 million–acre traditional territory. Court filings allege a breach of the Crown’s treaty obligations and a failure to offer meaningful consultation. Court documents indicate the quarries supply the province with some 300,000,000 tonnes of aggregate each year, a vital raw ingredient in countless construction and infrastructure projects. Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources declined to comment, noting the matter is before the courts. Chief Greg Nadjiwon said SON does not receive fair payment for resource extraction and that the landscape is changing on a daily basis due to environmental and cultural impacts. The lawsuit is set against debate over federal Bill C-5 and Ontario’s Bill 5, both criticized for fast-tracking development while weakening environmental protections and consultation processes. The article notes Premier Doug Ford’s remark eliciting fury and an apology, and reports Prime Minister Mark Carney defending Bill C-5 as enabling legislation with consultation promises that Indigenous leaders say fall short. Randall Kahgee said the legislation allows governments to avoid consultation and stacks the deck in their favour.
Source: CBC News (Colin Butler, Posted: Jun 20, 2025)
Read the full article from CBC here
SON Leadership Opposes Bill 5
On May 26, Chief Conrad Ritchie appeared before the Standing Committee on Justice Policy at Queen’s Park to oppose Ontario’s proposed Bill 5 — legislation that threatens to override Indigenous consultation, environmental protections, and the recognition of Anishinaabe laws across SON Territory.
Chief Ritchie made it clear that:
“We cannot and will not sit by idly to see the Crown designate the entire province a Special Economic Zone using its powers under Bill 5, and we will not permit the Crown to escalate control in our territory. We remind the Crown that our laws — Anishinaabe — continue to apply, to protect our territorial rights, and Ontario must follow these laws.”
He also stated that the bill is out of step with reconciliation and violates the Crown’s duty to consult — and the international obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), particularly the requirement for free, prior, and informed consent.
Learn more about what’s at stake and how SON leadership is standing up to protect our Rights and Territory:
Read the full article from The Pointer
SON-Backed Report Challenges Métis Claims in Territory
A recent article in the Owen Sound Sun Times highlights a report commissioned by the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) that critically examines and refutes the Métis Nation of Ontario’s (MNO) claims within SON Territory.
The independent report, prepared by respected historian Dr. Kim Anderson, concludes that there is no credible historical or legal basis for MNO's assertion of Métis rights in this region. The findings support SON’s longstanding position that the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula is—and always has been—Anishinaabek Territory.
This report is part of Joint Council’s continued efforts to assert and protect SON’s Rights, history, and jurisdiction.
Read the full article from The Owen Sound Sun Times here
