Grassroots First Nation youth welcomed the arrival of the Mahmo Inninuwuk Wiibuseego-stamok walkers at Queens Park in Toronto on Friday August 8, 2025. The walking group completed their 22 day and over 700 km walking journey from downtown Timmins to Queens Park at a combined rally held together with First Nation youth groups Youth Rising Together and Okiniwak. The awareness walk and rally at Queen’s Park was organized by these grassroots youth movements to show their dissatisfaction of Ontario’s Bill 5 and Canada’s Bill C5.
The youth walkers ceremoniously walked onto Queen’s Park at 1pm on Friday together with other youth leadership representatives. They were greeted with a traditional pipe ceremony led by Conrad Iahtail (Nahpaysh Miishenish Aisipi), of Attawapiskat FN and traditional drum performances.
“It was an emotional arrival for us all as it was a very powerful journey where we made so many connections. We wanted to take part in a grassroots movement that represents First Nation youth and show everyone that we are only answerable to our ancestors, our Kookooms (grandmothers) and Mooshooms (grandfathers) and to the Creator. We are not tied to any political organization which is why we created this movement because we only have our voice and the fire within us,” said Tristan Ashishkeesh, youth walker.
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