Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
About 100 Grassy Narrows First Nation residents have arrived in Thunder Bay, Ont., after the community was partially evacuated due to flooding. They arrived in Thunder Bay, which is about 400 kilometres southeast from Grassy Narrows, on Monday. Grassy Narrows Chief Randy Fobister said the evacuees from his community are all vulnerable people, including those with health issues and elders.
A series about the drinking water crisis still affecting First Nation communities in northern Ontario is a finalist for the 2021 Canadian Association of Journalists’ student award of excellence. Gigoo-Aakoosi: Fish Is Sick told the story of the Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek, also known as Grassy Narrows First Nation, and Wabauskang First Nation and the historical and ongoing devastation endured by those living with water contamination.
In 2015, Justin Trudeau promised that if elected he would end boil-water advisories in First Nations communities within five years. “We have 93 different communities under 133 different boil-water advisories,” said at the time. “A Canadian government led by me will address this as a top priority because it’s not right in a country like Canada. This has gone on for far too long.” That top priority was abandoned last October when the government admitted that they would not make the mark. They have given no updated timeline for when this national travesty will end.
Today, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services, Chief Randy Fobister and elected council of Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (ANA) met in community to sign an amendment to the Mercury Care Home Framework Agreement, which builds on the Government of Canada's commitment to ensuring that ANA residents who are living with methylmercury poisoning receive the care they need while staying closer to home, community and family.
Canada will collect data on the impact of siting a disproportionate number of polluting industries and landfills in areas inhabited by racial minority communities, federal lawmakers voted Wednesday. The bill aims to tackle "environmental racism," where Indigenous, Black and other racial minority communities are exposed to higher levels of dirty air, contaminated water or other toxins and pollutants. One of the most famous cases is in the Indigenous Grassy Narrows First Nation community in Ontario, where residents have since the 1960s suffered health impacts from mercury contamination produced by a former pulp and paper mill.
Two First Nations in northwestern Ontario are finally able to drink from their taps as they celebrated lifting long-term boil water advisories this week. Community members in Grassy Narrows First Nation, also known as Asubpeeschoseewagong, received a letter from Chief Rudy Turtle on September 29 which read: "As of TODAY the boil water advisory is NOW lifted. This means you can safely consume the tap water." One day later, the Wauzhushk Onigum Nation celebrated the end of their long-term boil water advisory at the completion of the $14-million project to connect the community to the city of Kenora's water and sewer system.
