CPJ member Will Braun is on sabbatical from his work with Pimicikamak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba. “Minister Seamus O’Regan came to Grassy Narrows but he came to Grassy Narrows offering an assisted living home, that’s not what we’re asking for,” said Chief Rudy Turtle. "[26], The reserve's other environmental concern is the mass extraction of trees for paper. Treaty Three Police Service provides policing for the reserve, Places adjacent to Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation, (ORDER IN COUNCIL SETTING UP COMMISSION FOR TREATY 3), CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (, Portal:Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Treaty 3 between Her Majesty the Queen and the Saulteaux Tribe of the Ojibbeway Indians at the Northwest Angle on the Lake of the Woods with Adhesions, "Census Profile, 2016 Census English River 21, Indian reserve [Census subdivision], Ontario and Kenora, District [Census division], Ontario", Registered Population Official Name Grassy Narrows First Nation 149, "Treaty 3 between Her Majesty the Queen and the Saulteaux Tribe of the Ojibbeway Indians at the Northwest Angle on the Lake of the Woods with Adhesions", "Passing on Ojibway Lifeways in a Contemporary Environment", "Grassy Narrows residents eating fish with highest mercury levels in province", "Ontario knew about Grassy Narrows mercury site for decades, but kept it secret", "The interwoven history of mercury poisoning in Ontario and Japan", "Province ignores information about possible mercury dumping ground: Star Investigation", "Former Dryden, Ont. “It’s a provincial matter,” he says. 1962 to 1970: A pulp and paper mill owned by Reed Inc., and later Great Lakes Forest Products Ltd., dumps mercury-contaminated effluent into the Wabigoon River. A medical centre provides basic health care to residents and open Monday to Friday. 14 May 1875 Minister of Interior approves relocation to Grassy Narrows. © 2020 Citizens for Public Justice. Indian Affairs official James Cutfeet would provide no clarification of Indian Affairs policy on the fundamental matter of treaty rights outside reserves. The community fears mass logging will lead to damage to local habitat.[27]. Grassy Narrows Medical Centre: Organizations: Grassy Narrows First Nation - Band Office: Phone Numbers: Main: 807-925-2850 807-925-2851 Toll-Free: 1-800-790-8887 Fax: 807-925-2182 Email: grassynarrowsfirstnation@knet.ca In … He succeeds Rudy Turtle, who had also run in the last federal election. [3], In 1871, Grassy Narrows First Nation, together with other Ojibway tribes, made a treaty with the Canadian government, The Crown, in the person of Queen Victoria, giving up aboriginal title to a large tract of land in northwestern Ontario and eastern Manitoba, Treaty 3 between Her Majesty the Queen and the Saulteaux Tribe of the Ojibbeway Indians at the Northwest Angle on the Lake of the Woods with Adhesions. [6], The First Nations people experienced mercury poisoning from Dryden Chemical Company, a chloralkali process plant, located in Dryden that supplied both sodium hydroxide and chlorine used in large amounts for bleaching paper during production for the Dryden Pulp and Paper Company. Treaties and trees. The next day I join Fobister as he drives to a clearcut in an area where his parents took him when he was young. After you have parked your vehicle in the secure lighted parking lot in Morson, you board one of our comfortable cruisers for … Don’t destroy it! Local protestors have complained to the company and the Ministry of Natural Resources to demand a selective process. Community member Judy DaSilva says of the blockade, ‘It was the last thing we could do because everything around us was disappearing. The Trudeau administration committed to building the centre when Chief Simon Fobister and Jane Philpott, minister of Indigenous Services, met in 2017. Last night I lacked respect towards them and I apologize.” Says the situation is serious and his office will be speaking O’Regan about what’s being done #cdnpoli #GrassyNarrows” Grassy Narrows First Nations chief hails more funding for mercury treatment centre. The Ontario government says it’s ‘ending duplication’ by removing logging activities from the Environmental Assessment Act. In addition, large patrilineal clans divide… Pointing to a purple blotch where he shares a cabin with a Grassy Narrows trapper, he says, “If they cut here, we’ll have to pretend we’re living in a forest.” He cares about old growth forests and a way of life. June … “We’re not shying away from our responsibility,” Osborne says, noting ongoing communication with Grassy Narrows. Economic opportunities are needed badly. That’s hard to do in a clearcut. Randy Fobister has been elected as the new chief at Grassy Narrows. [4], On the lands they selected under Treaty 3, the old reserve, the cycle of seasonal activities and traditional cultural practices of the Ojibway were followed. There were deer and moose on the reserve which were hunted for meat and supplemented by fish. [7] It is believed that approximately 10 tons (20,000 pounds) of mercury was dumped into the Wabigoon River system between 1962 and 1970. The Grassy Narrows band began seeking compensation in 1970. The province’s review of the Gordon Rd. “New Democrats have repeatedly raised in this chamber […] Grassy Narrows received over $530,000 from that program in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, federal officials said. For decades the Ontario government has granted large logging companies the right to clearcut in the area which Grassy Narrows people traditionally have used to provide for themselves, and to which they have treaty rights. Miller pegged the timeline to finish the buildings at between 18 and 36 months. Each parcel was selected for access to fishing and hunting grounds and for suitability for gardening. [29] Later released documents, after freedom of information requests, revealed concerns by local biologists that were never followed up on.[30]. [12][11] The waste from the industry upstream has not merely affected the Wabigoon River system, the mercury contamination has also infected water sources that the Wabigoon River system feeds into such as Clay Lake and Ed Wilson Landing. Youth are central to the blockade. But fish ingest neuro-toxins dumped into the river by a pulp mill upstream in the 1960s and 1970s. “Minister Seamus … [8], Conversely, the mercury contamination by the pulp and paper industry may be defined as environmental racism. By Citizens for Public Justice. In 1871, Grassy Narrows First Nation, together with other Ojibway tribes, made a treaty with the Canadian government, The Crown, in the person of Queen Victoria, giving up aboriginal title to a large tract of land in northwestern Ontario and eastern Manitoba, Treaty 3 between Her Majesty the Queen and the Saulteaux Tribe of the Ojibbeway Indians at the Northwest Angle on the Lake of the Woods with Adhesions. Residents of Grassy Narrows First Nation, about 100 kilometres northeast of Kenora, Ont., have grappled with long-standing mental and physical health issues due to toxic mercury levels in the nearby English-Wabigoon River. The discovery of mercury poisoning in 1970 was a devastating blow to Grassy Narrows. Work was available as hunting and fishing guides and cleaning tourist lodges. We have everyhting that you need for the perfect vacation. Mercury poisoning among the people of Grassy Narrows was first discovered in the early 1970s by Japanese researchers. [25] Additionally, Indigenous people believe that people may learn from fish and learn cultural practices by fishing. Grassy Narrows is located on Garden Lake, a small lake connected by a meandering creek that leads to the magnificent English River. "[26] The provincial government appointed former Supreme Court of Canada and Federal Court of Canada Chief Justice Frank Iacobucci to lead these discussions. [7][23] Consumption of fish continues in the area, particularly pickerel (walleye), the local favourite, but it is high on the food chain and therefore contains high levels of mercury. We have borne 54 years of poison and inaction – we need a firm timeline and a realistic budget to get this cleanup done as soon as humanly possible. [8][9] Workers from the industry have admitted that there are a multitude of hidden mercury containers near the Wabigoon River that has caused health problems among the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation community to be a continuous issue. The closest airport is Kenora Airport and provides connections to other large communities including Thunder Bay and Winnipeg. The reserve is connected to areas beyond by local roads connecting with Highway 671. That's up from about $166,000 in 2008-2009, according to documents obtained by CBC News. Grassy Narrows First Nation leaders want a commitment in writing from the province to cleanup a nearby river that is contaminated with mercury. Previously he worked with Mennonite Central Committee. [16] Additionally, studies have found that the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation have experienced hypertension, stroke, as well as lung, stomach, psychiatric, orthopedic and heart diseases due to eating fish with high levels of mercury. Grassy Narrows unveils mercury treatment centre design but wonders whether government is committed to building it. September 21, 2003. Although the framework agreement is a legally binding contract, Grassy Narrows will have to wait a bit longer for “the machinery of government” to work through the issue of long-term funding, as Miller put it. Matthew Coon Come, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, showed his support at the blockade Feb.27. [28] There were no immediate injunctions issued to stop logging activity, however. From 1962 to 1970, a paper mill … The winters were spent trapping for the Hudson's Bay Company, the summer gardening and harvesting wild blueberries which together with skins were sold for supplies. Grassy Narrows First Nations youth are renowned for their activism, art, and leadership in spite of mercury burden Today Grassy Narrows released a ground-breaking new report by renowned mercury expert Dr. Donna Mergler. The issue of Aboriginal rights to customary lands outside reserves is critical for Grassy Narrows’ hopes of attaining self-reliance. Longtime CPJ members will remember the years of work by former staffperson John Olthuis to help the band receive compensation for the ravages of mercury poisoning from a Reed Paper mill upstream in Dryden. “I can’t describe the feeling,” he says. Current minister of Indigenous Affairs visited Grassy Narrows in March to sign an agreement with the community to build the Care Centre but no agreement was signed. The 1000 people of Grassy Narrows cannot survive off a 14 square mile reserve. Treaty 3, which applies to Grassy Narrows, makes provision for Indians to “pursue their avocations of hunting and fishing” throughout the area they inhabited (not just on reserve), subject to certain limitations. 1870 + Decline of the fur Trade. The band said the construction timeline of two to three years is “achievable” as long as “Canada cooperates.” Grassy Narrows residents first began to … “It’s like my heart being pulled out of my chest every time I drive into a clearcut.”. 1962 to 1970: A pulp and paper mill owned by Reed Inc., and later Great Lakes Forest Products Ltd., dumps mercury-contaminated effluent into the Wabigoon River. Police say runaway Hong Kong politician probed for security crime . In exchange a spacious tract of land, as much as a square mile of land for each family, in a favourable location on the Wabigoon-English River system was reserved for the use of the tribe. But instead of the Oka-esque militancy that stereotypes might conjure, it was the quiet Davidian confidence of a people prepared for the corporate Goliath. It was a “roving blockade,” part of a high-stakes game of cat and mouse between the Anishinaabe people of Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narrows First Nation) and Montreal-based logging giant Abitibi Consolidated. On August 17, 2011, First Nation supporters won a victory in court, when "Ontario's Superior Court ruled that the province cannot authorize timber and logging if the operations infringe on federal treaty promises protecting aboriginal rights to traditional hunting and trapping." The people continued to live in their customary way, each clan living in log cabins in small clearings; often it was 1⁄2 mi (0.80 km) to the nearest neighbour. Sarah Bollard was born in Grassy Narrows but sent to live with a white family in suburban Toronto. [7][24], Ultimately, while the socioeconomic status of the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation people partially explains why the First Nation group still consumes the mercury-infested fish, the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation culture also contributes to the ingestion of fish by the Indigenous group. [21][14] In particular, it is because the walleye are roughly 40-90 times the advisable mercury intake limit for pregnant women, children and women who hope to bear offspring that the walleye is predominately hazardous. Grassy Narrows has struggled successfully for fair treatment in the past. “They act like they own the forest, as though we are accountable to them.”. The ultimate goal of the blockaders is Asubpeeschoseewagong jurisdiction over their customary lands, giving them the ability to protect their … Tribal members were allowed to hunt, fish, and trap on unused portions of their former domain; the government undertook to establish schools; and to give ammunition for hunting, twine to make nets, agricultural implements and supplies, and a small amount of money to the tribe. That’s little comfort to Fobister, who says decision making power lies elsewhere. “If there was a sudden turn of events I would be very disappointed,” Turtle said, pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic is slowing things down. [25] Given these points, the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation community have not stopped consuming fish as fish are considered as sacred more-than-human beings who have the ability to teach valuable lessons to the future generations. [21] Walleye remains dangerous for those with long-term exposure to the consumption of the fish as walleye contains approximately 13-15 times the recommended levels of mercury. [26] Iacobucci's discussions with Grassy Narrows would focus on, "sustainable forest management partnership models and other forestry-related matters, including harvesting methods, interim protection for traditional activities and economic development. Mashford-Pringle cited Grassy Narrows First Nation, where a pulp and paper mill led to mercury poisoning the water systems. For almost 50 years, the river system—a foundational element of the Grassy Narrows culture—-that the community relies on for food and water has been contaminated with mercury as a result of industrial pollution. Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation (also known as Grassy Narrows First Nation or the Asabiinyashkosiwagong Nitam-Anishinaabeg in the Ojibwe language) is an Ojibwe First Nations band government who inhabit northern Kenora in Ontario, Canada. [3] In 90%+ unemployment rate in 1970, closing of the commercial fishery meant economic disaster for the Indian reserve. The community of about 1,200 members had been without clean drinking water for about seven years, before boil water advisories were lifted recently. Grassy Narrows reminds Canada of unkept promises as AFN sets its priority agenda. Hornepayne First Nation recently joined the Grassy Narrows blockade and in February, Aroland First Nation began blocking Highway 43. [7][24][25] According to First Nations people, fish is one of the healthiest substances that can be consumed. Pollution meant the English-Wabigoon River had to be closed to commercial fishing. Their landbase is the 4,145 ha (10,240 acres) English River 21 Indian Reserve. [25][7], On September 8, 2007, Ontario announced that it "had agreed to begin discussions with Grassy Narrows First Nation on forestry-related issues. [18][19] Moreover, in June 2017, the Ontario government pledged $85 million to clean up the industrial mercury contamination. Several lakes are accessable to you from our camp. In the fall, wild rice was harvested from the margins of the rivers and finished for storage. Grassy Narrows First Nations youth are renowned for their activism, art, and leadership in spite of mercury burden Today Grassy Narrows released a ground-breaking new report by renowned mercury expert Dr. Donna Mergler. Abitibi-Consolidated has been harvesting trees in the area. [31] There is no hospital on the reserve; thus, more advanced care requires transfers to Kenora. Meanwhile, Fobister said he fears his community will bear the consequences of the mercury contamination until the river is cleaned up, noting such a process could prolong the ordeal for several more generations of Grassy Narrows residents. Ten years ago, on 2 December 2002, young people from the Grassy Narrows First Nation in northwestern Ontario went out onto a road leading past their reserve and stopped the logging tracks carrying away trees cut on their traditional territory. The people of Grassy Narrows have suffered from symptoms of mercury poisoning for more than four decades and scientists had been saying … [16] Ivy Keewatin claimed that on the guided tours that she once conducted, she would take the attendees to a particular area in order to eat deep-fried pickerel (walleye). The only access to the reserve was by canoe or plane. It was a “roving blockade,” part of a high-stakes game of cat and mouse between the Anishinaabe people of Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narrows First Nation) and Montreal … “We have borne 54 years of poison and inaction — we need a firm timeline and a realistic budget to get this cleanup done as soon as humanly possible,” Grassy Narrows Chief Simon Fobister said Thursday in response to Glenn Murray’s comments. For almost 50 years, the river system—a foundational element of the Grassy Narrows culture—-that the community relies on for food and water has been contaminated with mercury as a result of industrial pollution. “When they look at the forest,” he says of Abitibi, “all they see is money.” In 2002, Abitibi revenues topped $5.1 billion. Provincial spokesperson Shawn Stevenson says there is extensive “consultation” with Grassy Narrows on forestry planning, but when pushed on how much say Aboriginal people have, says “[Aboriginal] input on site-specific issues,” is “considered” in forest planning. Ontario Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning.It occurred in the Canadian province of Ontario, in 1970, and severely affected two First Nation communities in Northwestern Ontario following consumption of local fish contaminated with mercury, and one First Nation in Southern Ontario due to illegal disposal of industrial chemical waste. The Canadian wilderness is an awesome adventure. With international attention shifting from decimated rainforests to the “emerald halo” of boreal forest atop the globe, forestry practices in Canada will face greater scrutiny. “We will not rest until our fish are safe to eat again.” [13][14], The mercury poisoning among the two First Nations communities were possible due to the lax laws regarding environmental pollution. Treaties, trees and sharing: A frontline report, March 2003. Camp Grassy Narrows is located on the shores of Lac Des Quinze, hidden under the birches and pine trees. Grassy Narrows First Nation, or the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation, is a small First Nations community in northwestern Ontario. It was past midnight as we stood around the bonfire beside a logging road in northwestern Ontario. [20] However, the mercury was never removed from the water and continues to affect the health of Grassy Narrows residents. “Our people want to have a say in the state of our forests, participate in the opportunities and maintain our way of life into future generations,” says Leo Jourdain, Grand Chief for Treaty Three, the political organization for 28 First Nations in the region. She … The reserve, legally known as English River Indian Reserve 21, is just over 41 km 2 of land located about 55 km northeast of Kenora.There are 1,594 registered members of Grassy Narrows First Nation (also known as Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek), 971 of whom live on-reserve (2019). Nor are Grassy Narrows residents alone in seeking access to the wealth and opportunities that surround them. The fur trade shifted this practice toward trapping smaller animals and trading their furs. The people of Grassy Narrows, who have been on the road since December 3, say they will stay as long as it takes. Grassy Narrows First Nations chief hails more funding for mercury treatment centre. They migrated northward and westward during the late 17th and early 18th centuries in search of animals to supply the fur trade. [7] Additionally, the chemical waste from the industry in Dryden has impacted the health of the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation peoples, as well as the Wabaseemoong First Nation community (Wabaseemoong Independent Nations) further downstream. 1840 Methodist Mission established in Norway House. Email me when someone replies to my comment, 334 MacLaren Street - Suite 200Ottawa ONK2P 0M6Unceded Algonquin Territory, 501-309 Cooper St, Ottawa ON K2P 0G5Unceded Algonquin Territory, Charitable registration number: 89438 3512 RR0001 (CJL Foundation). In some regions of Africa, like Malawi, climate change can also lead to landslides, hailstorms, and mudslides. Rudy Turtle, chief of Grassy Narrows, hopes he keeps that promise. He would not say whether logging infringes on treaty rights. [7] Therefore, it is because the Indigenous guides did not feel comfortable suggesting that tourists eat the fish contaminated with mercury and because the tourists did not wish to ingest fish with high levels of mercury that the fishing tourist industry no longer exists in the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation community. Ancestors of the northern Ojibwe are thought to have originally inhabited the north shore of the upper Great Lakes. Miller pegged the timeline to finish the buildings at between 18 and 36 months. Muskrat were plentiful and trapped for pelts and food. [8][9][10] Both the paper and chemical companies ceased operations in 1976, after 14 years of operations. Meanwhile, Fobister said he fears his community will bear the consequences of the mercury contamination until the river is cleaned up, noting such a process could prolong the ordeal for several more generations of Grassy Narrows residents. Their territory was on the northern shore of the Great Lakes from the Michipicoten Bay of Lake Superior to the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron. FISHER RIVER CREE NATION HISTORICAL TIMELINE (Selected) 1837 Norway House established as Hudson Bay Company Administrative Centre. Grassy Narrows Lodge is located on Miles Bay, deep in the heart of beautiful Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada. Grassy Narrows timeline. “We’re asking for a Mercury Home. [16] That being said, it is due to the fact that the soil in the river and the sediment contains high levels of mercury that the fish in the Wabigoon River system may no longer be safely be ingested. Miller pegged the timeline to finish the buildings at between 18 and 36 months. mill worker recalls dumping barrels of mercury in plastic-lined pit", "Neurological and birth defects haunt Wabaseemoong First Nation, decades after mercury dumping", "Return to grassy narrows: a poisoned community tells its 40-year-old story", "90% of Grassy Narrows residents show mercury poisoning signs: researchers", "Free Grassy » Canada's Grassy Narrows First Nation demands government action after 50 years of mercury poisoning", "Report on mercury poisoning never shared, Grassy Narrows leaders say", "Ontario announces $85M to clean up mercury near Grassy Narrows, Wabaseemoong First Nations", "Mercury poisoning effects continue at Grassy Narrows: Mercury dumping halted in 1970 but symptoms persist", "Fact Sheet: Mercury Poisoning of the Grassy Narrows and White Dog Communities", "Celebrating Canada's Indigenous Peoples Through Song and Dance: Music Alive Program Teacher's Guide", "ONTARIO ENTERS INTO FORESTRY DISCUSSIONS WITH GRASSY NARROWS", "First Nation wins legal battle over clear-cutting", "Ontario gives green light to clear-cutting at Grassy Narrows", "Ontario's biologists called clear-cut logging plan 'big step backwards, "Grassy Narrows First Nation, Grassy Narrows Medical Centre, Medical Centre", "Passing Ojibway Lifeways in a Contemporary Environment", Anishinabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council, Animakee Wa Zhing 37 (Northwest Angle 37), Pwi-Di-Goo-Zing Ne-Yaa-Zhing Advisory Services, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asubpeeschoseewagong_First_Nation&oldid=991818936, CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown, All Wikipedia articles written in Canadian English, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 2 December 2020, at 00:03. The sentiment is echoed by non-Aboriginal trapper Don Billard. “I can’t even imagine what it used to be like,” surveying the naked hillside. In a 1998 letter, Abitibi wrote to Grassy Narrows: “We realize the way we manage the forest may be considered catastrophic, but we also believe that in the long run it is best for the forest.”. 1869 Hudson Bay Company transfer of Rupert’s Land to the Crown. As many as 1,000 people showed symptoms of the dreaded “Minamata disease” in the 1960s and 1970s. Grassy Narrows-Outfitter- Pourvoyeur - Welcome to Camp Grassy Narrows. Although the Asubpeeschoseewagong people themselves say that they have always lived along the Wabigoon-English River northeast of Lake of the Woods, most historians believe that the ancestors of the Northern Ojibway were first encountered by Europeans near what is now Sault Ste. Grassy Narrows’ Chief Simon Fobister responded saying “I invite the Premier to put this historic commitment in writing and sign it alongside me in proper ceremony so that we can know it is real. The lodge is sheltered and remote. Only time will tell how this David and Goliath tale will unfold and whether treaties can be made to work for both non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal people. On Thursday, Grassy Narrows Chief Simon Fobister sent out a response to Murray’s comments, inviting Premier Kathleen Wynne to put this “historic … Grassy Narrows, ON, is the common name for both a reserve and an Ojibwe First Nation. And no timeline has been given for the next phase of design or construction. [8][15], The Ontario provincial government has initially told the First Nation community to stop eating fish — their main source of protein — and closed down their commercial fishery. We have borne 54 years of poison and inaction – we need a firm timeline and a realistic budget to get this cleanup done as soon as humanly possible. She returned to the community in August with her two younger children, Gabrielle, 3, … From 1876 to 1969 McIntosh Indian Residential School was the closest school in McIntosh, Ontario. [22], The amount of mercury present in fish as of 2012 was low according to Health Canada, that being said, a health advisory still remains in effect. The implicit lesson seems to be that the students’ future is linked to insistence on a new approach to the forest, one not centered around trucks hauling the opportunities of their homeland away while they sit in classrooms preparing for jobs that may not exist. March 2, 2016 NDP critic for Aboriginal Affairs, France Gélinas, says it is time for the provincial government to act on promises to clean up mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon River in Grassy Narrows and provide the community 100 kilometres north of Kenora with safe drinking water. Grassy Narrows declared a state of emergency over its unsafe drinking water in 2015, after a boil-water advisory had already been in place for nearly two years, as … [14] Though there have been obvious health issues associated with the consumption of fish from the Wabigoon River system, Ed Wilson Landing, and Clay Lake, the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation community continue to eat the fish from these bodies of water as the community cannot afford to obtain boats in order to fish farther away from the infected waterways or afford pricey groceries. Joe Fobister is one of those around the fire. ““I didn’t do that last night. As we awaited the loggers – who haul at night on roads leading to the pulp and paper mill 80 km south in Kenora – there was a heightened energy in the air. At blockade headquarters, he pours over maps with webs of roads and networks of blotches on them. Details Category: Local News Published: Friday, 05 June 2020 11:52 Written by Rikki Watson. As this game of jurisdictional hot potato goes on, the trees keep falling. The coloured blotches, Billard explains, are areas already cut or slated for cutting. It was past midnight as we stood around the bonfire beside a logging road in northwestern Ontario. The view of the treaty among blockaders seems to be that it is intended to ensure equitable sharing of resources. Tired of watching logging trucks haul away the bounty of their 2,500 square mile Traditional Land Use Area, the people of Grassy Narrows are inserting themselves into decision-making in their homeland. 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