The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, July 16, edition that a group of nine first nations in Ontario has filed a constitutional challenge against two bills passed by the provincial and federal governments that aim to expedite the construction of mines and pipelines. The Globe's Jeff Gray and Emily Haws write that they argue that these laws allow development to proceed without adequate consultation with indigenous peoples. The challenge targets Ontario's Bill 5, which permits the creation of "special economic zones," and the federal Bill C-5, which waives legislative requirements for projects deemed of national interest. The first nations claim these laws violate the Crown's constitutional obligation to act honorably toward them and are seeking to have both laws struck down, along with an injunction to prevent their use pending a final ruling. The legal application, filed on Monday, says both Bill 5 and Bill C-5 allow governments to override existing legislation, including environmental rules, in order to "ram through" projects without "meaningful" indigenous consultations, skipping various procedures that currently require seeking first nations input.