Grassy Narrows

[wlach]

Pursuant to the previous post, one thing I've been working on is to try to fundraise for an issue relevant to indigenous people in Canada today. One of the groups that came up with were the Grassy Narrows people in northwestern Ontario, and it's hard to see a more relevant and urgent cause to take up.

What happened in Grassy Narrows? Briefly, in the 1960s and 70s, the water was contaminated by mercury from industrial pollution from a nearby paper mill. This is an ongoing issue which has affected generations of people in the area since. I’d encourage you to read their own account of this on their web site, Also of note is their own website, freegrassy.net. CBC also has a great article on the subject.

Grassy Narrows organizers recently launched a new campaign with two demands for the federal government:

• Compensate everyone in Grassy Narrows


• Build the Mercury Home and Treatment Centre, which the federal government said it would fund two years ago -- but there’s been little movement since

The people of Grassy Narrows are currently gathering travelling funds to come to Toronto for a march articulating their demands in June. Due to a work obligation, I’m going to be out of Toronto and won't be able to attend myself, but I'd like to help raise some funds. I'm willing to match all donations up to $1000: if you send something their way, please let me know via my email address (wrlach@gmail.com) how much you donated so I can keep track (I promise I won’t otherwise publish your email or personal information). I'd also encourage you to attend the march if you can. You can donate through their gofundme page:

https://www.gofundme.com/mercury-justice-for-grassy-narrows

Comments

[sabotabby]

Donated and shared in the evil place. I’m hoping to attend the march depending on when in June. Thanks for doing this.

[wlach]

You're the best! Thank you so much. Between you and my parents this effort is off to a good start.

[sabotabby]

It's a worthy effort!