'Here We Stand': River journey protests controversial bills

Jeronimo Kataquapit , 20 , from Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario , is taking a 400-kilometre boat journey to protest new provincial and federal bills he says threaten his people’s land, culture and way of life.

At the heart of this dispute is the Ring of Fire , a vast mineral-rich region that governments see as key to Canada 's ambitions as an “resource superpower” The James Bay Lowlands is one of the world's largest untouched peatlands.

The trip came together after Kataquapit learned about federal Bill C-5 , then known as the “national interest’s legislation.

Bill 5 was passed without consulting First Nations , weakening legal protections for Indigenous rights and the environment.

The family livestreams their journey on Facebook using a Starlink internet connection powered by a generator set up on their boat.

"These young people are making the stand. They're calling out peaceful protests, they're not blockading the road,” said Koostachin.

“We're not environmental radicals. We're the stewards of the land.. we're not protesters, we're protectors.” Similar legal challenges are anticipated if Bill C-5 is enacted at the federal level.