A few weeks ago, the community of Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation (Grassy Narrows First Nation) marched through the streets of Toronto alongside their many allies and community groups. Greenpeace was proud to march in solidarity with the people of Grassy Narrows again that day.
Grassy had come to Toronto, as they have come for several years now, to highlight the ongoing legacy of mercury poisoning and clearcut logging in their traditional territories.
Some background - in the 1970’s it was revealed that fish in the community’s water systems north of Kenora contained high levels of mercury arising from a local paper mill. With the collapse of fish as an economic staple, unemployment soared and mercury poisoning was introduced to horrifying effect. This legacy continues today, with the community still seeking adequate redress and monitoring of their waters.
Already reeling from these events, the people of Grassy Narrows then witnessed clearcutting in their traditional territories re-shape the forests where they had hunted, gather wild rice, berries and medicines for thousands of years.
There is no better example of the devastating consequences of ignoring the rights of First Nations as decision-makers with constitutionally protected rights in their traditional territories.
Shortly after leading the march in Toronto, Grassy Chief Roger Fobister joined Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy, Ogichidaa Grand Chief of Grand Council Treaty #3 Warren White, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Harvey Yesno and Serpent River Chief Isadore Day to give formal notice to Canada, the province, resource developers and the general public through a Notice of Assertion that First Nations inherent and Treaty rights will continue to be asserted in original territories and ancestral homelands in Ontario.
Greenpeace endorses fully this Assertion of Sovereignty. Alongside other members of Canadian civil society, we have a responsibility to learn from the past and work towards justice and reconciliation through the work that we do. Ontario and the Canadian government share this responsibility.
Shortly after the Chiefs’ announcement, which articulates clearly understood constitutional and international human rights standards, the new United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli Corpuz, put out a statement recognizing International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (Saturday 9 August 2014). The statement leads with “Justice still remains elusive for many indigenous peoples in many parts of the world”. We could just as easily replace “world” with “Canada”.
The Rapporteur called on States to “ensure the effective participation of indigenous peoples in formulating and implementing their national and local development strategies and plans.” That is Ontario’s challenge – in Grassy Narrows and right across the province. And we all have a role to play in helping them get there.
Support Grassy Narrows here.
Read Greenpeace’s policy on Indigenous Rights here.