https://www.kenoraonline.com/articles/ndp-community-oppose-mining-claims-in-grassy-narrows-area-

Ontario’s hope to mine for gold in the Grassy Narrows First Nation area is under fire from members of the opposition, who say Ontario should focus on the health of the community first.  

NDP MPP for Mushkegowuk-James Bay, Guy Bourgouin, raised the issue during Question Period at Queen’s Park earlier this week, noting Grassy Narrows Chief Randy Fobister’s opposition to the proposed work.  

“With gold prices soaring, there are 4,000 gold mining claims in Grassy Narrows First Nation. Meanwhile, two sites of potential mercury contamination are poisoning the rivers, the wildlife and the people of Grassy Narrows, have yet to be acted on by this government.”

“Does [the Premier] think that being ‘Open for Business’ should come at the expense of the health of the people of Grassy Narrows?” asked Bourgouin.

Canada’s gold prices have risen between 0.6 and 1.84 percent in the previous 30 days, according to multiple online gold brokers.

But in 2018, Grassy Narrows enacted a land declaration and ban on industrial or mining activities in their territory, which Bourgouin says should be respected by the provincial government.

“Mercury contamination in the English and Wabigoon rivers has had a profound impact on the community, and must be properly addressed,” replied Government House Leader Paul Calandra, who says Ontario is still working to assess the extent of the contamination.

An $85 million English and Wabigoon Rivers Remediation Trust was established by the previous government, and the English and Wabigoon Rivers Remediation Panel directs how funds from the trust are distributed. The panel is comprised of members from Grassy Narrows First Nation, Wabaseemoong Independent Nations and Ontario.

Preparation work to remediate the waterway took place in 2017 and 2018, with an additional $2.7 million investment from the province. Ongoing assessment work is funded through the $85 million trust, and is done in partnership between Ontario and the communities.

The province confirmed elevated levels of mercury at the Dryden mill site in early 2018.  

“The Ministry [of Environment, Conservation and Parks] is holding Domtar responsible for assessing the extent of the mercury contamination in and around the mill site, including addressing infrastructure and stormwater management issues,” adds Calandra.

According to the 1986 settlement agreement, the mercury pollution is the result of discharge from the Reed Paper company’s operation, which used mercury in their bleaching process for making paper.

Altogether, an estimated nine to 11 tonnes of mercury were released into the water. Mercury also reached the river system when, starting in the 1950s, the Ontario and federal governments built multiple hydroelectric dams on the Wabigoon-English River system. The dam reservoirs released mercury from the soil into the watercourse.

“This and the previous government have never bothered to clear out the contaminated soil behind the Dryden mill, in the exact spot where a former mill worker reported dumping barrels of mercury,” adds Bourgouin, citing a 2018 TorontoStar report.

“Instead, this government has been quick to consider mining claims, while the fish are still unsafe to eat, and the people are hesitant to drink their water. As Chief Fobister told me, ‘let my people live in peace’,” finished the MPP.

The Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek Community Health Assessment Report from December 2018 revealed that Grassy Narrows adults report higher rates of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts compared to other First Nation adults, and has found that community members under the age of 19 had higher rates of mercury-related problems compared to other First Nation communities.

The report found that Grassy Narrows youth were twice as likely to not thrive and to have emotional or behavioural issues, and three times as likely to have at least one condition that may impact school performance – such as speech or language difficulties and learning disabilities. Other conditions include attention deficit disorder, allergies, asthma, eczema, anxiety, depression, anemia, visual problems, and ear infections.

In their research, Japanese doctors have estimated that more than 90 percent of the First Nation members at Grassy Narrows and Wabaseeomoong show signs of mercury poisoning. Health Canada stopped the regular monitoring of mercury levels in the Grassy Narrows community in 1999.

“We will continue to work with our First Nation partners in this,” said Calandra. “We understand how important it is to develop in the north and to do it safely and in cooperation with our partners in the area.”

He adds Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Energy, Indigenous Affairs and Kenora-Rainy River MPP, Greg Rickford, has been working closely with multiple First Nation communities with ongoing development and infrastructure opportunities.

In 2020, after years of lobbying provincial and federal governments, both the Wabaseemoong and Grassy Narrows communities signed agreements with Ottawa and Indigenous Services Canada to build multi-million, state-of-the-art, 24-bed mercury poisoning treatment centres.