Statement from Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh, Grand Chief of Grand Council Treaty #3 and Chief Rudy Turtle, Grassy Narrows First Nation regarding Prime Minister’s disrespectful comment and subsequent apology:

“I am very dismayed and disheartened that Prime Minister Trudeau made these deriding and disrespectful comments yesterday considering the reconciliation platform he ran on. We take the lives of our Treaty #3 people very seriously and will continue to support the work the advocates are doing on behalf of those suffering from mercury poisoning,” said Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh, Grand Chief of Grand Council Treaty #3. “The federal government must be reminded of their 2017 promise to fund a specialized mercury treatment facility in the Grassy Narrows First Nation. Nothing has been done and our people continue to suffer. We want to see action now.”

Chief Rudy Turtle, Grassy Narrows First Nation:

“We acknowledge the Prime Minister’s apology however, he must be reminded of the urgency of this matter and the ongoing struggle and threats to the health of First Nations citizens because of environmental contamination for over 50 years. People are dying from mercury contamination and nothing is being done. Enough is enough,” said Chief Rudy Turtle. “The Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek Aaki Declaration (Grassy Narrows First Nation Land Declaration) issued in October 2018 set out a number of principles including the governments of Ontario and Canada support the leaders and citizens in rebuilding our health, our way of life, and our livelihood, which have all been severely impacted by mercury and industrial logging. Prime Minister must honour this declaration and take the necessary steps immediately.”