May 7, 2010 Friday
FINAL EDITION

Domtar to stop using wood from Grassy Narrows traditional land use area;
EARTHROOTS MAKES ANNOUNCEMENT



BYLINE: BY MIKE AIKEN, MINER AND NEWS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. A1

Environmentalists from Earthroots announced Thursday that forestry giant Domtar was the latest to say they would stop using wood from the traditional land use area at Grassy Narrows.

"Clearcut logging compounds the harm that residential schools and mercury poisoning have done to the health, culture, and livelihood of Grassy Narrows people. Any new logging on Grassy Narrows Territory risks re-igniting a full-blown conflict, including expanded blockades and boycott campaigns," said David Sone of Earthroots.

Domtar's nearest operation is Dryden. An estimated 2,500 jobs in Northwestern Ontario are dependent on wood from the Whiskey Jack Forest, which includes the area claimed by the First Nation.

"Weyerhaeuser now stands alone as the only major logger who refuses to respect our right to say 'No' to logging on our territory," said Joe Bill Fobister of Grassy Narrows.

"The days of ignoring our land rights with impunity are over. We will never stand by while the forests that sustain our health, our culture, and our livelihood are clearcut against our will," he added.

Weyerhaeuser runs the iLevel mill in Kenora. While the company has said its return to higher production levels this spring wasn't dependent on accessing the supply near Grassy Narrows, it has also made deputations to city council and the province, saying access to the forest is important to the long-term future of their operation.

In 2008, management estimated 40 per cent of their supply for their Kenora operation came from the Whiskey Jack. A permanent blockade has been in place since December 2002.