First Nations News
Grassy Narrows
Grassy Narrows is the site of the longest running native logging blockade in Canadian history - an ongoing grassroots action which recently celebrated its 11th anniversary. Grassy Narrows youth, elders, women, and land-users put their bodies on the line to stop logging trucks from passing. At the end of 2013, the Ontario government approved another decade of clearcut logging in the Grassy Narrows Territory against the will of this Indigenous community. The community is already struggling with the long-term health impacts of mercury poisoning. The plan sets out a schedule to clearcut much of what little mature forest remains on Grassy Narrows Territory after decades of large-scale industrial logging.
Clearcut logging elevates mercury levels in fish - deepening the tragedy caused when 20,000 lbs of mercury were dumped into Grassy Narrows' Wabigoon River (with the permission of the Province of Ontario) by a paper mill upstream in the 1960's.
The Supreme Court of Canada will hear Grassy Narrows' case against Ontario in May 2014, with a decision following by six months or more. The legal action argues that Ontario does not have the right to unilaterally permit logging on Grassy Narrows land due to promises made by Canada in Treaty 3. The new logging plan takes effect in April 2014.
In July 2014 Grassy Narrows lost its case before the Supreme Court in 7-0 decision which ruled that Ontario has the power to “take up” lands for mining, towns and forestry among other things through Treaty 3.
Greenpeace Canada touts support for Grassy Narrows, “a community on the front line of Boreal Forest destruction”. (April 2015)
The Story of Grassy Narrows (Youtube)
For more information see Freegrassy.net
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pg/FreeGrassy
Grassy Narrows News
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Date |
Source |
Title |
Comment |
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2020-04-03 |
Comment: |
Full federal funding promised for mercury care home for people suffering debilitating impacts of mercury poisoning. |
Source: facebook |
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2019-05-30 |
CTV News |
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2018-05-24 |
Toronto Star |
Landmark study reveals ‘clear evidence’ of mercury’s toll on health in Grassy Narrows |
Jayme Poisson, David Bruser |
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2017-11-29 |
CBC Thunder Bay |
'Christmas came early': Ottawa commits to Grassy Narrows mercury treatment centre |
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2017-11-11 |
Toronto Star |
Ontario knew about Grassy Narrows mercury site for decades, but kept it secret |
Jayme Poisson |
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2017-06-09 |
TVO.org |
Grassy Narrows deserves better than 'routine' procedure to clean a poisoned river |
John Michael McGrath |
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2017-06-02 |
Toronto Star |
Jayme Poisson |
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2017-04-19 |
New York Times |
Susan Goldberg |
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2017-02-13 |
Toronto Star |
Ontario ‘completely committed’ to mercury cleanup at Grassy Narrows |
Jayme Poisson David Bruser |
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2017-01-18 |
CBC Listen |
Anna Maria Tremonti |
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2017-01-12 |
Toronto Star |
Mercury-tainted soil found upstream from Grassy Narrows First Nation |
Jayme Poisson David Bruser |
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2016-12-21 |
CBC |
'Overt environmental injustice' continues at Grassy Narrows, medical journal concludes |
Jody Porter |
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2016-12-16 |
EcoWatch / Lorraine Chong |
DuPont to Pay $50 Million for Mercury Pollution, Largest Settlement in Virginia History |
Lorraine Chow - USA - mercury |
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2016-11-29 |
EcoWatch / Robert F. Kennedy Jr. |
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. |
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2016-11-24 |
Toronto Star |
David Bruser, Jayme Poisson |
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2016-11-23 |
Toronto Star |
Grassy Narrows residents eating fish with highest mercury levels in province |
Jayme Poisson, David Bruser |
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2016-09-20 |
CBC Thunder Bay |
New generation suffering mercury poisoning at Grassy Narrows, Ont. |
Jody Porter |
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2016-09-20 |
CP24.com |
Ninety per cent of Grassy Narrows residents show signs of mercury poisoning: researchers |
Keith Leslie, The Canadian Press |
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2016-09-14 |
Toronto Star |
Ontario environment officials concerned that clear-cut logging releases mercury |
Jayme Poisson, David Bruser |
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2016-07-04 |
Toronto Star |
Jayme Poisson, David Bruser |
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2016-06-23 |
CBC News |
Nicole Brockbank |
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2016-06-21 |
Youtube |
PSAC-AFPC |
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2016-06-20 |
Toronto Star |
Province ignores information about possible mercury dumping ground: Star Investigation |
Jayme Poisson, David Bruser |
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2016-05-30 |
CBC News |
Jody Porter |
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2016-02-27 |
Toronto Star |
Mercury-blighted community of Grassy Narrows takes its case to the UN |
Jim Coyle |
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2016-02-22 |
AWARE Simcoe |
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2016-01-23 |
CauseVox.com |
Help get the Grassy Narrows Women's Drum Group to River Run 2016! |
Fundraising for awareness trip |
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2015-09-14 |
CBC News |
Grassy Narrows First Nation takes Ontario to court over clear cutting |
Jody Porter |
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2015-08-28 |
Green Party of Ontario |
Amy Watson - declared state of emergency on August 27, 2015 |
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2015-07-07 |
CBC News |
Grassy Narrows: Why Ontario decided not to clean up the mercury |
Jody Porter
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2015-06-15 |
CBC News |
Mercury levels still rising near Grassy Narrows First Nation, report says |
Jody Porter |
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2015-05-13 |
CBC News |
Grassy Narrows First Nation activist Judy DaSilva fights CN injunction |
Jody Porter - Judy Da Silva |
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2015-04-13 |
Aptn.ca |
CN takes action against Grassy Narrows over blockade that didn’t happen |
Jaydon Flett - Judy Da Silva |
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2015-04-10 |
Council of Canadians |
Grassy Narrows protest crude by rail shipments with water ceremony |
Mark Calzavara |
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2015-04-02 |
Freegrassy.net |
- contact Premier Wynne |
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2014-12-29 |
Toronto Star |
Ontario gives green light to clear-cutting at Grassy Narrows |
Raveena Aulakh |
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2014-12-02 |
AWARE-Simcoe.ca |
-12th anniversary of Grassy Narrows Blockade |
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2014-09-02 |
CBC News |
Jody Porter |
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2014-09-02 |
CBC News |
Grassy Narrows: Why is Japan still studying the mercury poisoning when Canada isn't? |
Kelly Crowe |
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2014-07-11 |
CBC News |
- landmark decision |
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2014-02-11 |
Council of Canadians |
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2013-12-23 |
IdleNoMore |
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2013-12-11 |
APTN |
Grassy Narrows trappers talk about losing traditions to clear cutting |
(Video 6mins) - Grassy Narrows |
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2013-10-30 |
Toronto Star |
Grassy Narrows First Nation’s anti-logging battle with province heats up |
Donovan Vincent - Grassy Narrows |
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2013-10-29 |
Amnesty International |
Deadline: October 31, 2013 - Grassy Narrows |
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2012-06-04 |
CBC News |
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Chiefs of Ontario |
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Grassy Narrows will continue our long fight to protect our health, our way of life, and our environment following our own laws and teachings. We will stand to protect our people and our forests from clearcut logging in the legislature, in the market place, in the courts, and on the land.
We invite Ontario and Canada to engage with us in good faith to build a positive relationship based on respect for our way of life, recognition of our rights, restoration of our health and our environment, and meaningful reconciliation. In this day and age, it is widely recognized that it is wrong, and unwise to force industrial extraction on Indigenous communities against our will. (source)
Disclaimer: This information has been compiled through private amateur research for the purpose of allowing the reader to make an informed and educated decision. However, while the information is believed to be reliable, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
APPENDICES
https://awareontario.nfshost.com/AWARE-Ontario/Issues/First_Nations/FN_Grassy_Narrows/FN_Grassy_Narrows.htm