A new report by Ontario’s environmental watchdog has some strong words for successive provincial governments over the better part of the last half-century related to ongoing mercury poisoning at two First Nations in the northwestern part of the province.
The 2017 environmental protection report by Dianne Saxe, Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner was issued on Tuesday. Part of the document chronicles the history and current state of the historic pollution of the English-Wabigoon River system and its effects on Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong First Nations.
Speaking to reporters in Toronto during the release of the report, Saxe called the issue “shameful.”
“Both governments and business have long turned a blind eye to pollution of Indigenous communities,” she said.
The report itself was no less harsh.
“After accepting financial responsibility for the mercury contamination, the Ontario government declined to take action for decades, largely ignoring the suffering of the Grassy Narrows First Nation and Wabaseemoong peoples,” it stated, referring to a settlement reached in the mid-1980s between Ontario, the pulp mill and the First Nations.
If you wanna read an excellent history about this whole goddamn shitty racist mess, read Anastasia M. Shkilnyk’s incredible A Poison Stronger than Love: The Destruction of an Ojibwa Community. Apparently you can download it for free here.
These folks are now on their third generation of Minamata Disease because of the Canadian government’s policies. Minamata Disease is when your neurological system is destroyed due to mercury poisoning.
QueerGalaxies 