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“I just want to say I sincerely apologize for my words, not only if it hurt all the chiefs in that room, but all First Nations,” the premier said.

“I speak from the heart and sometimes my words don’t come out properly, which I think you’ve all seen over a number of years. I sincerely apologize if that has offended anyone. I’ve never been too proud to sit back and apologize for something that I’ve said or if have offended someone,” he said.

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige, who was standing beside Ford as he spoke, accepted his apology.

“Our chiefs felt today that the apology was sincere. We are looking at today as a new day going forward,” said Debassige.

“The premier has corrected himself for the ‘hat in hand’ comment and has committed to be working with us as a good treaty partner and has owned what he said,” she said, “and I’m not going to belabour that.”

However, Debassige emphasized that while the chiefs appreciated the confab, the Anishinabek Nation still opposes Bill 5, the ”Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act,” which was passed two weeks ago.

“We remain steadfast in the rights of our nations,” she stressed, noting other matters were discussed behind closed doors.

“It would be disrespectful to our First Nations communities to suggest their only concern is Bill 5 at this time.”

The meeting came one day after Ford was accused by New Democrat MPP Sol Mamakwa of making “racist” remarks about First Nations.

On Wednesday in St. Catharines, the premier said “there’s an opportunity of a lifetime for them” if minerals can be extracted more quickly from remote regions.

“We’re giving them $3 billion with a B … to be equity partners, to make their communities more prosperous and wealthier and have services they’ve never had before,” said Ford, noting” there’s going to be a point that you can’t just keep coming hat in hand all the time to the government.

“You’ve got to be able to take care of yourselves — and when you literally have gold mines, nickel mines, every type of critical mineral that the world wants, and you’re saying, ‘No, no, I don’t want to touch that, by the way, give me money.’ Not going to happen. It’s simple,” he said.

In a letter Thursday to Ford, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak accused the premier of “pejoratively dismissing” Indigenous rights.

“Your remarks only serve to perpetuate racist stereotypes and are not acceptable in any way or circumstance,” she wrote.

For his part, Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong) said Thursday “that’s not the way we create relationships with First Nations” and had urged Ford to apologize.

“As First Nations, you know, we are not beggars,” he added. “That type of thinking is not great … it belongs back in the 1950s.” 

Ford’s mea culpa overshadowed a meeting that had been called as his Progressive Conservatives scrambled to fix Bill 5 in regulation following its speedy passage before the legislature rose for the summer break.

Opponents charge the law breaches long-standing First Nation treaty rights as well as waters down environmental protections with of new “special economic zones” designed to fast track project approvals.

Ford’s Tories argue the law — similar to the federal Bill C-5 being pushed through by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals — is needed to get projects approved quickly

The premier and prime minister say U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war against Canada means that approvals must be expedited.