home | contact | search | Grassy Narrows   YOUR SUPPORT IS URGENTLY NEEDED - SIGN THE PETITION! March 2006 - The Grassy Narrows First Nation, with support from many environmental NGOs have launched a campaign against Weyerhaeuser and Abitibi to force them to stop logging in the Grassy Narrows traditional lands. Grassy Narrows is calling for those involved to “Immediately cease and desist from all logging and industrial resource extraction on our territory. Terminate all logging, buying, selling, investing, financing and profiting from the desecration of our homeland by Weyerhaeuser and Abitibi corporations and their subsidiaries.” Sign the Petition!! Background Information The Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narrows) Anishinabek have suffered decades of grotesque environmental mismanagement. In the 1970s the water supply was contaminated with mercury from an upstream pulp mill, devastating the community's traditional food supply of fish and wild game. Hydropower development has flooded sacred burial grounds and ruined wild rice stands and now clearcut logging threatens to destroy the medicinal plants and traditional foods harvested from the community's 4000 square kilometre Traditional Use Area. Click here for more of the history of environmental degradation at Grassy Narrows Community members have been engaged in a road blockade since December 3rd, 2002 to protest the devastating logging activities of Abitibi Consolidated.[click here for photos] Planned clearcuts threaten to wipe out what’s left of the mature forest on Grassy Narrows traditional land. Click here for a message from the Chief of Grassy Narrows Despite over two years of blockades and endless amounts of paperwork and requests to both the provincial and federal governments, the land-based culture of the Grassy Narrows First Nation is still under threat. In February 2005, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources approved the Whiskey Jack Forest Management Plan, which "outlines the long-term strategic direction for the [mis]management of the forests" leased to Abitibi. This plan will have significant negative and direct impact on Grassy Narrows' Treaty and Aboriginal Rights. Canadian law requires significant and meaningful consultation with First Nations when an infringement of their rights occurs. This consultation has not occurred and, therefore, all logging should be stopped until this issue is resolved. What else can you can do?. . . For Organizations Boreal Forest Network has been instrumental in supporting the Grassy Narrows Campaign visit their website to sign a petition on behalf of your organization For Individuals Fax letters to Abitibi in Kenora at +1-807-467-3058 and let them know it is unacceptable for them to be logging on the Anishinabe traditional territory Or send a letter to the head office in Montreal: Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. 1155 Metcalfe Street, Suite 800 Montréal, Québec Canada H3B 5H2 Articles and Resources Treaties, Trees and Sharing is an article including pictures straight from the Grassy Narrows Blockade Taiga News 42 - Earth, Air, Water, Fire Grassy Narrows First Nation website Free Grassy Narrows Website Rainforest Action Network ForestEthics Christian Peacemakers Team Website Sierra Legal Defence Fund Lawsuit on behalf of Grassy Narrows Boreal Forest Network Turtle Island Native Network News - great pictures here     top