PM#0382659799
Wabigoon reaches settlement on century-old dispute PAGE 3
Mattagami evacuated as Timmins fire roars PAGE 6
Emerald Ash Borer close to Treaty #3 PAGE 9
May 31, 2012
Vol. 39 No. 14
9,300 copies distributed $1.50
Northern Ontario’s First Nation Voice since 1974
www.wawataynews.ca
‘We can’t even eat animals on the land’ Grassy Narrows youth talking mercury on 2,000 km walk Lenny Carpenter Wawatay News
When Edmond Jack was 13, he joined a group who walked from Grassy Narrows to Toronto to raise awareness on a serious issue affecting his community. After Jack led the youth with the eagle staff into Toronto, Elders told him he was natural leader. “They said, ‘When you feel something needs to happen, you gotta do something, because chances are nobody else is gonna do it,’” the 17-yearold recalled. Jack took that message to heart and four years later, he is leading five youth on a 2,000-kilometre walk to Toronto to raise awareness on the mercury poisoning affecting Grassy Narrows First Nation, his home community. In March 1962, Dryden Chemicals Ltd. began dumping an estimated 10 metric tonnes of mercury into the Wabigoon River, contaminating the fish which formed the subsistence and economy of three communities, including Grassy Narrows, White Dog and some members of Wabauskang who lived at Quibell. Fifty years later, members of those communities are still suffering the affects of mercury poisoning. Jack said the mercury dam-
Lenny Carpenter/Wawatay News
Six youth are walking from Grassy Narrows to Toronto to raise awareness of the mercury poisoning that continues to affect Grassy Narrows. The walkers (from left): Clifford and Adrian Acoby, Ninodawah Richard, Jolene Hookimawillillene, Shanice Desrosiers and Edmond Jack. ages the nervous system and vision, and that he continues to see people in his community affected by it. “They’re shaky and when they reach for stuff, they miss it,” he said. Jack said it also causes birth defects.
“So those who are born, they may not have mercury in their system but they are born with the symptoms.” Jack also wants to make people aware that the mercury did not only contaminate the water and fish, but the whole ecosystem as well since water is every-
where. “We can’t even eat animals on the land without worrying about sickness, because anything that affects us affects the animals in the same way because they drink the same water,” he said. Jack first got the idea for
the walk a month ago and got contact information from his mother, who organized previous walks of her own. He was joined by fellow community youth Shanice Desrosiers and Jolene Hookimawillillene, along with youth from other communities, such as Ninodawah Richard and
Clifford Acoby. Adrian Acoby of Swan Lake First Nation in Manitoba decided to join the walk after reading a posting by Jack on Facebook. “I wanted to support a great cause and support him, so I met up with him in Grassy Narrows, got to know each other, and got to know his friends and now we’re all friends,” the 23-yearold said. “Water is very important and I look forward to completing this walk.” The walkers left Grassy Narrows on April 29. Jack said the first week was tough due to a lack of a support vehicle or funds. One night, with no sleeping bags or food, they spent outside during a storm. “We slept overnight in the cold and continued walking in the morning,” Jack said. “A woman picked us up and took us to Whitefish Bay and sheltered us and fed us there.” Later, the walkers received help from Jack’s grandmother, Maryanne Swain, who is now driving a support vehicle for the group. On May 22, the walkers arrived in Thunder Bay and spent two nights in the city to rest and speak to youth about their community. Jack said they will stop at several communities along the way to spread their message. See Grassy Narrows on page 9
ᐊᓴᐸᐱᐡᑯᓯᐊᐧᑲᐣᐠ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᐃᓇᐦᐊᑐᐊᐧᐠ ᑐᕑᐊᐣᑐ ᑭᒋᐅᑌᓇᐠ ᓫᐁᓂ ᑲᕑᐱᐣᑐᕑ ᐊᐧᐊᐧᑌ ᐊᒋᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ
ᐊᐱ ᐁᐟᒪᐣᐟ ᒐᐠ ᐁ ᓂ ᓱ ᔕ ᐳ ᔭ ᑭ ᐃ ᐧ ᓀ ᐸ ᐣ , ᑭᑕᑭᐧᐸᐣ ᑲᑭᐃᓇᐦᐊᑐᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᑐᕑᐊᐣᑐ ᑭᒋᐅᑌᓇᐠ ᐅᐱᒧᓭᐠ ᐊᓴᐸᐱᐡᑯᓯᐊᐧᑲᐣᐠ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑲᐅᐣᒋᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑭᐃᔑᐃᐧᑐᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐅᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐃᐁᐧᓂ ᐅᒋ ᐅᑭᒋᔭᓂᒥᓭᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᑲᓇᑭᐡᑲᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ. ᐊᐱ ᒐᐠ ᑲᑭᔭᓂ ᑕᑯᐃᐧᒋᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᐧᒋᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐣ ᐁᑭᑕᑯᓇᐠ ᐅᓂᒪᑲᐧᐦᐃᑲᐣ ᐃᒪ ᑐᕑᐊᐣᑐ ᑭᒋᐅᑌᓇᐠ, ᐊᒥ ᑲᑭᐃᑯᐨ ᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊᐠ ᑌᐯᐧ ᐱᑯ ᐁᓂᓯᑕᐃᐧᓇᑯᓯᐨ ᐁ ᐅ ᑲ ᐡ ᑭ ᐦ ᐅ ᐃ ᐧ ᓂ ᐨ ᓂᑲᓂᑕᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐃᓀᑫ. “ᑭᐃᑭᑐᐊᐧᐠ, ᐊᐱ ᑲᐊᐧᐸᐣᑕᒪᐣ ᑫᑯᐣ ᒋᐃᔑᑲᑫᐧᐊᓄᑲᑌᐠ, ᐃᓯᓭ ᐱᑯ ᒋᑲᑫᐧᑐᑕᒪᐣ, ᐊᓂᐡ ᐃᔑᓇᑲᐧᐣ ᐁᑲ ᐊᐃᐧᔭ ᒋᑐᑕᐠ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᐢ 17 ᐁᑕᓱᔭᑭᐃᐧᓀᐨ.
ᒐᐠ ᐅᐃᐧᐣᑕᒪᑯᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᑭᐅᑕᐱᓇᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᓂᐅᔭᑭᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᔭᓂᓯᓭᓂᐠ, ᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲᐊᐧᐣ ᓂᔭᓇᐣ ᐃᐧᒋᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐣ 2,000 ᑭᓫᐊᒥᑐᕑᐢ ᒋᐃᓇᐦᐊᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᐧᑎ ᑐᕑᐊᐣᑐ ᐁᐃᐧᑭᑫᐣᑕᒧᓂᐁᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᐱᒋᐳᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐊᔭᒪᑲᓂᐠ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐊᓴᐸᐱᐡᑯᓯᐊᐧᑲᐣᐠ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᓂᐠ ᑲᐅᒋᐨ. ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐊᐱ ᒥᑭᓯᐃᐧᐱᓯᑦ 1962 ᑲᔭᑭᐊᐧᐠ, ᑎᕑᐊᔾᑎᐣ ᑫᒥᑯᐢ ᐯᐸᓄᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᑭᔭᓂ ᓴᓯᑭᐁᐧᐱᓇᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᒪ ᐱᑯ ᓇᐣᑕ 10 ᒣᐟᕑᐃᐠ ᑐᐣᐢ ᐱᒋᐳᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᐧᐱᑯᐣ ᓯᐱᐠ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᐊᐱᐣ ᑭᓄᔐᐠ ᐁᑭᔭᓂ ᐱᒋᐳᐃᐧᐡᑲᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᑲᑭᐅᐣᑕᒋᐦᐅᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᓂᐦᓯᐣ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ, ᐊᔑᐨ ᐃᐁᐧ ᐊᓴᐸᐱᐡᑯᓯᐊᐧᑲᐣᐠ, ᐊᐧᐸᓯᒧᐣᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐊᑎᐟ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐧᐸᐢᑲᐣᐠ ᑲᑭᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᑭᐧᐯᓫ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐊᔕ ᓂᔭᓄᒥᑕᓇ ᑕᓱᔭᑭ ᓂᐢᑕᑦ ᑲᑭᐃᐧᓂᒋᑲᑌᓂᐠ ᐅᓯᐱᒥᐊᐧ, ᐅᑯᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑭᔭᐱᐨ
ᐅᐱᒥᐃᐧᒋᐃᐧᑯᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᐁᐧᓂ ᐱᒋᐳᐃᐧᓂ. ᒐᐠ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐃᐁᐧ ᐱᒋᐳᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐃᔑᒪᒋᑐᑕᑫᒪᑲᐣ ᑲᐃᐧᐣᒋᑫᒪᑲᐠ ᐃᐧᔭᐤ ᑫᐃᓇᓄᑭᒪᑲᒪᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐅᐣᒋᐊᐧᐱᓇᓂᐊᐧᐠ, ᒥᓇ ᐅᐊᐧᐸᒪᐣ ᐅᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᒪᐣ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑭᔭᐱᐨ ᐁᐱᒥ ᒪᒋᑐᑕᑯᐊᐧᐨ. “ᓂᓂᐣᑭᐡᑲᐊᐧᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑭᐡᐱᐣ ᑫᑯᐣ ᑲᑲᑫᐧ ᐅᑕᐱᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ, ᐅᐸᓂᐱᑐᓇᐊᐧ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ. ᒐᐠ ᑲᔦ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐅᐡᑭ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ ᐅᐣᒋᐊᐧᓂᑭᐊᐧᐠ. “ᐃᑭᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᓂᑕᐃᐧᑭᐊᐧᐠ, ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᐡᑯᐨ ᐅᑭᑭᐡᑲᑯᓇᐊᐧᑐᐠ ᐃᐁᐧᓂ ᐱᒋᐳᐃᐧᓂ ᔕᑯᐨ ᐃᑯ ᓂᓯᑕᐃᐧᓇᑯᓯᐊᐧᐠ ᐁ ᑭ ᑭ ᓂ ᑕ ᐃ ᐧ ᑭ ᐊ ᐧ ᐨ ᑲᐃᓇᐱᓀᐡᑲᑫᒪᑲᐠ ᐃᐁᐧ ᐱᒋᐳᐃᐧᐣ.” ᒐᐠ ᑲᔦ ᐅᑭᐸᑯᓭᐣᑕᐣ ᒋᑭᑫᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᐃᐁᐧ ᐱᒋᐳᐃᐧᐣ ᐁᑲ ᐃᐧᓂᑯ ᐁᑕ ᐃᒪ ᓂᐱᑲᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑭᓄᔐᐠ ᐁᔑᐃᐧᓂᒋᑫᒪᑲᐠ, ᒥᓯᐁᐧ
Youth from Grassy Narrows are raising awareness about the effects of mercury poisoning resulting from forestry operations in the 1960s.
ᐱᑯ ᑲᐃᔑᓇᑲᐧᐠ ᐊᐦᑭᑲᐠ ᐃᔑᒥᓯᑌᐡᑲᒪᑲᐣ ᐊᓂᐡ ᓂᐱ ᒥᓯᐁᐧ ᐃᔕᒪᑲᐣ. “ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᔦ ᑲᓇᑫ ᒋᑭᐊᒪᐧᔭᐣᐠ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᔑᔕᐠ ᐊᐧᑭᒪᑲᒥᑲᐠ ᑲᐸᐸᒥᔭᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑯᑕᒪᐠ ᒋᐅᒋ ᐱᒋᐳᔭᐣᐠ, ᐊᓂᐡ ᐱᑯ ᑫᑯᐣ ᑲᐅᐣᒋ ᒪᒋᑐᑕᑯᔭᐠ ᑫᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ
ᐱᑯ ᐊᐱᐣ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᔑᔕᐠ ᐅᑐᐣᒋ ᒪᒋᑐᑕᑯᓇᐊᐧ ᑕᐱᓇᑲ ᑫᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᐅᒥᓂᑲᐧᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᓂᐱᓂ ᑫᓂᓇᐃᐧᐟ ᑲᒥᓂᑲᐧᑕᒪᐠ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ. ᐯᔑᑯᐱᓯᑦ ᐅᑕᓇᐠ ᒐᐠ ᐅᑭᐱ ᒪᒥᑐᓀᑕᐣ ᐁᐃᐧᐱᒧᓭᐃᐧᓂᑫᐨ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐅᑭᑲᑫᐧᒋᒪᐣ ᐅᒪᒪᒪᐣ ᐊᐣᑎ ᑫᐅᐣᑎᓇᐠ ᐃᐧᐣᑕᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂ, ᐅᑕᓇᐠ
ᑭᐱᐃᔑᒋᑫᐸᓂᐣ ᐁᑭᐱ ᐅᓇᑐᐸᐣ ᐅᐱᒧᓭᐃᐧᐣ. ᐅᑭᐃᐧᒋᐃᐧᑯᐣ ᑕᐡ ᐃᒪ ᐱᑯ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑲᐅᒋᓂᐨ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐣ ᔑᓂᐢ ᑎᐢᕑᐅᓭ ᒥᓇ ᒍᓫᐃᐣ ᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧᓫᐃᓫᐃᐣ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᐊᔑᐨ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐠ ᐸᑲᐣ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ, ᓂᐣᓄᑕᐊᐧ ᕑᐃᒋᕑᐟ ᒥᓇ ᑭᓫᐃᐳᕑᐟ ᐊᑯᐱ. ᐁᐟᕑᐃᔭᐣ ᐊᑯᐱ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐢᐅᐧᐣ ᓫᐁᐠ ᒪᓂᑐᐸ ᐁᐅᒋᐨ ᐅᑭᐅᓀᐣᑕᐣ ᒋᑕᑭᐧᐨ ᐱᒧᓭᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐊᐱ ᑲᑭᐃᐡᑲᐧ ᐊᔭᒥᑐᐸᐣ ᒐᐠ ᐅᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᐠ ᑲᐅᒋ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐊᒪᑎᓇᓄᐊᐧᐠ. “ᑫᓂᐣ ᐣᑭᓇᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᐣ ᒋᐃᐧᒋᑕᐧᔭᐣ ᐅᒪ ᑭᒋᑫᑯᐣ ᑲᐃᔑᒋᑫᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᐁᐃᐧᐅᒋ ᐱᒥᐊᓱᐡᑲᐊᐧᐠ, ᒥᑕᐡ ᑲᑭᐊᐣᑕᐃᐧ ᓇᑭᐡᑲᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐊᓴᐸᐱᐡᑯᓯᐊᐧᑲᐣᐠ, ᐣᑭᔭᓂᑭᑫᓂᒥᑎᒥᐣ, ᒥᓇ ᐣᑭᔭᓂᑭᑫᓂᒥᒪᐣ ᐅᑐᑌᒪᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᓄᑯᑦ ᐣᑐᑌᒪᐠ ᐃᑭᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ 23 ᑕᓱᔭᑭᐃᐧᓀ. “ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᒋᑫᑯᐣ ᓂᐱ ᐁᑲᐧ ᐣᑕᔕᐊᐧᐸᐣᑕᐣ ᒋᐃᐧᑭᔑᑐᔭᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐱᒧᓭᐃᐧᐣ.”
Red Lake Charity Golf Tournament Friday July 27th, 2012 at Red Lake Golf & Country Club
for more information, please contact Michael Pedri at: 807.475.9576 or mpedri@wgimail.com
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ᐃᓇᐱᐣ ᐸᑭᑭᓂᑲᓂᐠ 9