We stand with Grassy Narrows

Press Release

For over half a century mercury has poisoned the river that is the life blood of the Grassy Narrows First Nation and their neighbours.

In one of Canada’s most shameful and tragic acts of willful neglect nothing has ever been done to clean up the river while generations of Grassy Narrows families continue to bear the debilitating burden of mercury poisoning.

Finally we have governments in both Toronto and Ottawa that speak to rebuilding our fractured relationship with this land’s First Nations and with the environment that we all depend on for clean water and air.

Nowhere is the need for that new relationship more stark than in Grassy Narrows. A new relationship must start by righting the wrongs of the past.

Scientists tell us that the river system can be cleaned up with our help. We bear a heavy moral responsibility to follow their advice and to finally right this wrong.

We, the undersigned, call upon government to commit to remediate the English-Wabigoon River System and return it to a healthy watershed that can safely sustain Grassy Narrows’ families, culture, and economy.

We call for the formation of a panel of experts appointed by Grassy Narrows with sufficient empowerment and endowment to implement a scientifically sound remediation program without delay under the direction of Grassy Narrows.

We will stand with Grassy Narrows until their river flows with life again.

ILR5