Grassy Narrows women block MNR

As Grassy Narrows women block access of ministry of natural resources enforcement officers to their traditional territory, the MNR said any back-road repair work requires approval before it can go ahead.
“Any work to repair roads on Crown land would be subject to the appropriate approvals including a work permit application,” said Michelle Nowak, an MNR regional communication and marketing specialist. “The ministry has not received a proposal or a work permit application for this work.”
Grassy Narrows Deputy Chief Randy Fobister said his community is aware of the provincial policies.
“That is their policies in the province, but we signed a treaty with the federal government, not with the province,” Fobister said. “So that is what we are trying to maintain – our treaty rights.”
Fobister said his community can complete the work safely and with concern to the environment.
“We can also do the same work the province does, as far as permits, liabilities,” Fobister said. “We are also aware of those areas.”
Fobister said the back-road work is not harming the environment.
“We’re just trying to fix the road to Ball Lake lodge,” Fobister said, adding once the repairs are complete, 20-30 jobs could be created at the lodge. “Part of that road will benefit everybody, Kenora residents, Grassy Narrows. It will benefit hunters.”
Fobister said the issues brought up by the MNR do not compare to the environmental issues his community has been dealing with for about 40 years.
“A bigger issue, if they want to talk about the environment, is the clear cuts and the mercury that is still here in the river system,” Fobister said.
Amnesty International said in an April 2010 press release the people of the Grassy Narrows First Nation are still waiting for justice 43 years after the discovery of massive mercury contamination led to the closure of the commercial fishery in the English River system in northwestern Ontario.
“Essential human rights are on the line. Basic principles of justice require acknowledgement of the harm that has been done, effective action to put things right again, and reasonable measures to ensure that no further harm is done,” said Craig Benjamin, Amnesty International’s campaigner for the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“When it comes to the legacy of mercury poisoning at Grassy Narrows, the federal and provincial governments have failed on all three counts.”
Fishing had been a critical source of both jobs and food for the community at the time, Amnesty International said, but today the people of Grassy Narrows face pervasive unemployment, widespread and severe health problems, and lingering concerns about the impact of mercury poisoning on this and future generations.
The Grassy Narrows women said in an online press release they were blocking access to MNR enforcement officers after the officers visited the repair site three times and threatened to stop the repairs.
“The MNR attempt to stop maintenance of the roads is an attack on our community’s self-sufficiency,” said Roberta Keesick, a Grassy Narrows grandmother, trapper and blockader. “It is another attempt by the province to assert unilateral control over the territory in violation of our inherent and treaty rights.”
The women said they blocked MNR access at Slant Lake to allow the repairs to washouts and beaver damage on nearby back roads to continue so community members are able to continue using and enjoying their traditional territory.
“We the Anishinabek have never given up jurisdiction on our natural territories,” said Judy Da Silva, a Grassy Narrows mother, blockader and traditional healer. “We agreed to share the lands with the newcomers, but we will never give up our inherent right to use and protect the land, water and the forests.”
The women said the roads require repairs because they claim the MNR has not conducted maintenance on the back road network since 2002 when grassroots women and youth put their bodies on the line to block logging machinery from further destroying the forests their community depends on.
The eight-year blockade is the longest running blockade in Canadian history.
Grassy Narrows community members continue to use the back road network to access hunting, trapping, wild rice picking and berry picking areas and to access the Ball Lake fishing lodge.
The women said the lodge had been a key source of employment for the community for generations, but since mercury was discovered in the river system it has had minimal economic development benefits for the community.
Regarding the road repairs, Nowak said the MNR is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Aggregate Resources Act.
She said permits are required if aggregates are being removed for road repairs.
Nowak said the ministry is concerned the activities are being carried out within the guidelines of its legislation.
“Any (repair work on Crown land) would be subject to appropriate approvals,” Nowak said. “That would be addressing our interest in the environmental and the worker and public safety.”