Podcasts about grassy narrows

This week on APTN News InFocus, host Cierra Bettens examines the mercury crisis in Grassy Narrows and the community's ongoing fight for justice and healing. In the 1960s and '70s, the Dryden paper mill dumped nearly nine tonnes of mercury into the English-Wabigoon River system, devastating the downstream community of Grassy Narrows. Today, an estimated 90 per cent of the community has symptoms of mercury poisoning. On March 5, officials gathered for the ground breaking of a long-awaited health centre dedicated to mercury poisoning care—five years after the deal to build it was signed. APTN Investigates reporter Brittany Guyot joins us to discuss her documentary Something in the Water, the ongoing impact of mercury poisoning, and the community's fight for accountability. • • • APTN National News, our stories told our way. Visit our website for more: https://aptnnews.ca Hear more APTN News podcasts: https://www.aptnnews.ca/podcasts/

For more than 50 years, the people of Grassy Narrows have lived with the serious health effects of mercury contamination. Residents say their community is the target of environmental racism. Now, plans for a nearby nuclear waste facility present a new threat.

Greg spoke to Paula, a parent in York region about a school field trip to a mosque that has raised some concerns with parents on the heels of the TDSB trip to the Grassy Narrows protest a few weeks back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg spoke to Paula, a parent in York region about a school field trip to a mosque that has raised some concerns with parents on the heels of the TDSB trip to the Grassy Narrows protest a few weeks back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Free For All Friday: our listeners phoned in to discuss Mayor Olivia Chow's absence at the October 7th commemoration in Toronto, vehicle access to High Park, the TDSB field trip to the Grassy Narrows protest, and more.

Ontario's NDP and Liberal Party leaders dismissed Premier Ford's proposal to build an express tunnel under Highway 401 as a "silly" idea; the TDSB is holding a special meeting over a controversial field trip involving the Grassy Narrows rally at Queen's Park; and, a Collingwood, Ont. woman is upset after UPS lost a return package to Apple containing an iPad worth more than $2,500. 

A tunnel under the 401? Metro Morning's political panel discusses the Premier's new idea. Plus, need a social life? You can get a prescription for that. And a TDSB student and trustee weigh in on a now-controversial field trip to a Grassy Narrows protest.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has blasted the Toronto District School Board for allowing some teachers to “indoctrinate” students with anti-Israel chants during a recent field trip that was ostensibly a learning event about justice for Canada's Indigenous people. :"It's disgusting," Ford told reporters on Monday. Meanwhile, Ford's education minister, Jill Dunlop, also slammed what she called “activist” public school teachers, who she said compromised student safety and breached the trust of the parents who had signed permission forms. The event in question involved 15 public schools, which brought students to the annual Grassy Narrows River Run on Sept. 18. The rally and march spreads awareness about the First Nation community in remote Northwestern Ontario that has spent decades fighting for justice after a local factory poisoned their water system with mercury. But parents have reported that a few teachers with a pro-Palestine agenda used the event to spread their own message about a totally separate issue: the Middle East conflict. In videos posted online, they can be seen using a megaphone to lead their students in chanting anti-Israel slogans; some participants in the event are wearing keffiyehs, and carrying banners calling for "From Wabigoon (the lake near Grassy Narrows) to the Dead Sea, We will all be free." Shelley Laskin is a school board trustee who represents the heavily Jewish Ward 8 (Eglinton-Lawrence and Toronto-St. Paul's). Laskin joins The CJN Daily to explain why she demanded a special public school board meeting be held this Wednesday, Sept. 25, to look into the incident that “erodes the public trust” in Canada's largest school board. What we talked about Read about the TDSB's reaction to the incident in The CJN. Read how the TDSB adopted an anti racism policy that includes anti-Palestinian racism but, at first, didn't include antisemitism, in The CJN. Watch the TDSB special meeting live on Wednesday Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

Greg Brady focuses in on a Toronto city council by-election that got a lot more interesting…and inflammatory when former Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne, called one of the leading candidates to win the seat in Don Valley West…a bigot. That candidate is 640 contributor Anthony Furey and he joins us to react to these accusations. Next, former Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne called in to clarify her accusation of her “bigot” comments about Anthony Furey. Lastly, Michael Teper – another concerned citizen to continue our conversation we began last week from a TDSB “field trip” to the Grassy Narrows protest that turned into a pro-Palestinian rally.. That's against protocol and rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Brady focuses in on a Toronto city council by-election that got a lot more interesting…and inflammatory when former Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne, called one of the leading candidates to win the seat in Don Valley West…a bigot. That candidate is 640 contributor Anthony Furey and he joins us to react to these accusations. Next, former Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne called in to clarify her accusation of her “bigot” comments about Anthony Furey. Lastly, Michael Teper – another concerned citizen to continue our conversation we began last week from a TDSB “field trip” to the Grassy Narrows protest that turned into a pro-Palestinian rally.. That's against protocol and rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Brady focuses in on a new documentary by friend of the show, Adam Zivo - Director of the Centre for Responsible Drug Policy & columnist for National Post. He spoke to us from Ukraine about his documentary. Next, is Melissa - a Parent at TDSB school where the kids were taken on a “field trip” to the Grassy Narrows protest. That's against protocol and rules. We get her reaction and what action she took. Lastly, an incident that happened back in January. The City was installing a water main and workers came across human remains which turns out to be indigenous remains so now they are working with indigenous groups to figure out next steps. We spoke to Matthew Bingley, Toronto City Hall Reporter for Global News and fills us in with the details of this story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Brady and the panel of: Nokha Dakroub, former peel district school board trustee, Caryma Sa'd, lawyer, protest watcher, Kevin Vuong, Independent M-P for Spadina - Fort York, Discuss: 1 - Almost a certainty there won't be an early federal election…..the Bloc Quebecois party confirmed it won't vote with the Poilievre Conservatives in a non-confidence vote 2 - Bay of Quinte provincial by-election tonight - this seat was Todd Smith's the longtime Energy Minister, and for a hot minute, Minister of Education 3 - Parent at TDSB school upset that kids were taken on a “field trip” to the Grassy Narrows protest. Should teachers be disciplined? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Brady and the panel of: Nokha Dakroub, former peel district school board trustee, Caryma Sa'd, lawyer, protest watcher, Kevin Vuong, Independent M-P for Spadina - Fort York, Discuss: 1 - Almost a certainty there won't be an early federal election…..the Bloc Quebecois party confirmed it won't vote with the Poilievre Conservatives in a non-confidence vote 2 - Bay of Quinte provincial by-election tonight - this seat was Todd Smith's the longtime Energy Minister, and for a hot minute, Minister of Education 3 - Parent at TDSB school upset that kids were taken on a “field trip” to the Grassy Narrows protest. Should teachers be disciplined? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Brady focuses in on a new documentary by friend of the show, Adam Zivo - Director of the Centre for Responsible Drug Policy & columnist for National Post. He spoke to us from Ukraine about his documentary. Next, is Melissa - a Parent at TDSB school where the kids were taken on a “field trip” to the Grassy Narrows protest. That's against protocol and rules. We get her reaction and what action she took. Lastly, an incident that happened back in January. The City was installing a water main and workers came across human remains which turns out to be indigenous remains so now they are working with indigenous groups to figure out next steps. We spoke to Matthew Bingley, Toronto City Hall Reporter for Global News and fills us in with the details of this story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grassy Narrows to appeal, file lawsuit over mercury contamination Cheyenne River Reservation celebrates 10 years of Native graffiti festival

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we won't say that democracy doesn't work, but it certainly seems to be malfunctioning. We will look to our friends in the EU who seem to be increasingly embracing authoritarianism, but things aren't too rosy on our own shores where a beleaguered Indigenous community here in Ontario has to take the government to court to get action. For the interview this week - and don't hate us - we're talking about landlord issues with a landlord. This Thursday, June 13, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss: All the Far-Right Moves. Elections for the European Union parliament took place last weekend, and while the EPP majority held, there were significant gains for far-right parties, which prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to call a snap election in France for the end of the month. More broadly, the election results were seen as another lurch towards a new western autocracy driven by anti-immigrant sentiment and economic malaise. How concerned should we be? Narrows Pursuit. For decades, the Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek First Nation - more commonly known as Grassy Narrows - has suffered from the ill-health effects of mercury contamination. In fact, 90 per cent of the people living there are feeling the effects. Now, the people of Grassy Narrows are taking the federal and provincial governments to court for failing to protect their treaty rights and the decision will surely shake up nation-to-nation relations here in Canada. We'll dig into that. Going SOLO. It turns out that everyone's fed up with the Landlord Tenant Board. A new group called SOLO, Small Ownership Landlords of Ontario, want changes to the board because systemic backlogs and delays are making it harder for them to get rid of problem tenants in a time when the housing crisis is putting pressures on all ends of the housing spectrum, including the small landlords. Board member Kevin Costain will talk to us about the changes that SOLO wants the provincial government to follow-up on. Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

We talk about Shell's carbon credit deal with Alberta, China's emissions achievements, Mexico, and Grassy Narrows. Stefan interviews online organizer Tim Ellis about his new venture, Canada Truth.

Canadian journalist Nora Loreto reads the latest headlines for Wednesday, June 5, 2024.TRNN has partnered with Loreto to syndicate and share her daily news digest with our audience. Tune in every morning to the TRNN podcast feed to hear the latest important news stories from Canada and worldwide.Find more headlines from Nora at Sandy & Nora Talk Politics podcast feed.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcastReferenced articles:Story 1 - Saskatoon Public Library workers might go on strike. Story 2 - Grassy Narrows issues the federal and provincial government over mercury poisoning. Story 3 - Foreign streaming services need to pay to a Canadian content creation fund. Story 4 - UN Human Rights chief slams Israel's attacks on the West Bank. Story 5 - Modi's BJP wins minority, surprising pollsters and analysts. He now must make a coalition to govern. 

Story 1 - Saskatoon Public library workers might go on strike. Story 2 - Grassy Narrows sues the federal and provincial government over mercury poisoning.  Story 3 - Foreign streaming services need to pay to a Canadian content creation fund. Story 4 - UN Human Rights chief slams Israel's attacks on the West Bank.  Story 5 - Modi's BJP wins minority, surprising pollsters and analysts. He now must make a coalition to govern. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indian election: Modi supporter, OpenAI whistleblower, Poozeum opens, Grassy Narrows lawsuit, Interspecies communication prize, Sumas Lake restoration, Wordle v. Worldle, and more.

Story 1 - SK teachers to vote on tentative deal. Story 2 - Methylmercury, more toxic than mercury is now a growing compound in the English-Wabigoon river. Story 3 - The Canadian Medical Association calls for Canada to defund its revenues so that its members can make more money on capital gains. Story 4 - Cacao producers in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana are organizing to get higher tariffs on the fruit so that they can exit poverty. Global chocolate giants make more than $100 billion in profits. Story 5 - The UK heads to the polls for the first time in 4.5 years. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grassy Narrows, Ticketmaster suit, Autocorrect names, Euclid photos, New Haven pizza, Beetle bat tricks, and more.

Grassy Narrows First Nation has suffered from mercury contamination since the 1960s. A new report says more pollution is forming a new toxin – making the problem exponentially worse. And: The U.S. Justice Department is suing the owner of Ticketmaster, saying Live Nation threatens competition and operates like an illegal monopoly. Plus: This year's hurricane season could be a bad one. Officials predict there will be more storms that will intensify quickly and pack a powerful punch.

Native Earth brings us Omaagomaan by Waawaate Fobister, a dance piece that teaches us about the Grassy Narrows tragedy and the people defending and protecting the community today.

What is the difference between compounded drugs and regular ones? What do lay people need to know about them? Danielle Jongkind has more on Ask a Vet (7:51). What is reflexology and how can we benefit from it? We discuss more with Frances Wong on our Wellness chat (21:50). Native Earth brings us Omaagomaan by Waawaate Fobister, a dance piece that teaches us about the Grassy Narrows tragedy and the people defending and protecting the community today (36:35). There's an arts and crafts show coming up in Pictou County, Nova Scotia that has quilts and other homemade items created by an art support group for the visually impaired. Community Reporter, Julie Martin tells us more (51:40). On our Woodworking segment with Jeff Thompson, we talk about finding structural studs for pictures, curtains and more (1:03:54). We speak with two members of the anti-human trafficking committee at Peel Children's Aid Society about this grave human rights violation and what can be done about it (1:18:37).

On a cold night in 2002, Chrissy Isaacs watched yet another logging truck loaded with old growth trees hurtle past her home in the Grassy Narrows First Nation, down the only road into the reserve: built by and for the logging industry.  Enough was enough. That night, she dropped a tree in the road to block the loggers, and changed her community forever. This is the story of land back, and the fight to correct the long, long history of colonizers claiming indigenous territories as their own for economic benefit. But for millions of Indigenous people around the world, land back is about a lot more than ownership. It's about relating to the land as more than just a resource, a commodity extracted, traded, owned, and controlled. Land back is about relationships, and what happens when we reconnect to the lands and waters that shape us.  Please take care when listening: this episode discusses suicide and self harm.  Learn more about how mercury poisoning has affected Grassy Narrows, support the community as they fight logging and mining claims in their traditional territories, and get to know Indigenous Climate Action here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WARNING: This story contains sensitive subject matter, including suicide and self-harm, that could be triggering for some readers. Guest: Sheila Wang, investigative reporter A new study has revealed that tons of mercury dumped as industrial waste upstream of Grassy Narrows First Nations decades ago has contributed to the community's youth attempting suicide at a rate three times higher than that of other First Nations in Canada. Residents of the community have long reported tremors, slurred speech, impaired hearing, tunnel vision and lost muscle co-ordination, but this is the first time a direct connection has been made between mercury contamination and the deteriorating mental health of the younger generation. We take a look at this new information and its significance. Audio sources: Star files, Global News, APTN News This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz and Sean Pattendon. If you are thinking of suicide or know someone who is, there is help. Resources are available online at crisisservicescanada.ca or you can connect to the national suicide prevention helpline at 1-833-456-4566, or the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.

Judy Da Silva from Grassy Narrows in northern Ontario will tell us about research the First Nation is presenting to the government... About how mercury poisoning, through environmental contamination, has had a deep and continuing impact on three generations of the community. (1:22) The Amundsen research vessel is celebrating science with local residents in Nunatsiavut. (6:41) Rents are on the rise and affordable housing advocates say the government needs to step in with rent control legislation. We take a look at what that would mean in this province. (13:51) Testing ocean water, seeing sea stars, learning about the creatures above and below Innu Nation has just finished a three week expedition. (26:21) You might call it a sign of the times. As membership levels decline, the Knights of Columbus in Labrador City is selling its building. (35:30) The proposed housing facility in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is getting set for its next phase. A Request for Proposals being issued for its design. The new minister for housing, Paul Pike, will explain more. (39:34) After a 4 year hiatus, the North West Beach Festival is back. We find out how preparations are coming along for the summer festival that kicks off on Saturday. (49:34) Federal regulators in the United States have approved that nation's first over-the-counter birth control pill. Advocates say the move will make contraceptives more accessible. Should Canada do the same? Health columnist Dr Christopher Labos will tell us more. (56:29)

Jody Porter worked for CBC in Thunder Bay for more than two decades. Her work on the injustices faced by Indigenous people in Northwestern Ontario from Grassy Narrows to Thunder Bay was cited in many hearings and reports including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. And yet, she viewed her work with a very critical lens toward the end of her life after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In July, Jody succumbed to cancer and died at the age of 50. We are re-airing a conversation Jesse had with Jody in November 2020 during the Brayden Bushby trial. Featured in this episode: Jody Porter, senior reporter at CBC News Further reading: CBC journalist Jody Porter remembered for her compassionate storytelling, commitment to truth, CBC News Pathfinding, Jody Porter, Maisonneuve Racism killed Barbara Kentner, says Thunder Bay group rallying outside trial of man accused of killing her, Jody Porter, CBC News Support Canadaland at canadaland.com/join Sponsors: oxio, Article, HelloFreshSupport CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I sit down with Darshan, a political commentator to talk about his efforts to push past political apathy to get mercury remediation for Grassy Narrow FN and to discuss the enactment of the Emergency Act in Canada and what that means for our future.Find his work here: https://darshanmaharaja.ca/I am a one man show so please consider rating on Spotify or Apple or making a donation. .Support the show (https://paypal.me/Coffeebreathconvo)

We discuss the Grassy Narrows First Nations environmental disaster that some fall either the worst environmental disaster in Canadian history or environmental racism, with Alex Vezina, CEO Prepared Canada, an expert on disasters and emergency responses. Grassy Narrows is a First Nations community in Northern Ontario downstream from a pulp and paper plant that dumped mercury for 15 years into the river. This community that depended on fishing and tourism were first told to not drink the water, then not to eat the fish then not to fish with tourists. 90% became unemployed, many died and many had neurological and other issues. Governments were slow to act only 50 years later dedicating monies, covered up analyses and documents and provided indemnification for the polluters. Sounds familiar?

We talk about carceral violence, criminalizing activism, the Biden climate summit, Canada’s climate accountability bill, the Conservatives’ climate plan, and the Liberal budget. Stefan interviews Tim Groves about our neocolonial legacy and research he has done for Free Grassy. “Mercury passes through the umbilical cord.”

A chief finished what her ancestor started 160 years ago in the largest land claim settlement in Maritime history. And is Ontario rolling out the red carpet for mining companies in Grassy Narrows before cleaning up the mercury toxins? That’s happening now on Nation to Nation.

Gino Harel s'intéresse au portrait climatique futur du pays; Marie-Pier Élie se lance à la recherche des pères exemplaires du monde animal; Chantal Srivastava fait le point sur la recherche d'un médicament pour la COVID-19; Alexandre Touchette se penche sur les risques associés aux déversements de pétrole dans l'Arctique; et Donna Mergler revient sur le mercure qui a été déversé dans le bassin hydrographique de Grassy Narrows en Ontario dans les années 60.

Justin Trudeau has approved the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline a day after declaring a ‘climate emergency’. We look at various perspectives on TMX and the climate crisis, and discuss Grassy Narrows, the dangers of environment reporting, and justice in the context of the Green New Deal.

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're going to tackle head on a national tragedy. Even though it's Indigenous History Month in June, a time for celebration, we're going to do a deep dive into the end of the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the other issues our First Nations people are facing. Then, a humour break, as Donald Trump once again storms the diplomatic world. And finally, we'll talk about how the world seems to be turning on alternative medicine. This Thursday, June 6, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss: "They Are Not Optional." From Marion Buller, Chief Commissioner of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, “As a nation, we face a crisis: regardless of which number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is cited, the number is too great. The continuing murders, disappearances and violence prove that this crisis has escalated to a national emergency that calls for timely and effective responses.” There are about 231 recommendations meant to address this "genocide," but will the government take them up? Other Indigenous Affairs. Between no deal for the mercury poisoning at Grassy Narrows, administrative issues on the Six Nations reserve, Indigenous communities being evacuated from Alberta wildfires, flooding and infrastructure problems in northern Ontario communities, and ongoing fights about pipelines, four years of Trudeau didn't look too different for our First Nations people than what's come before. We'll look at what's new in Indigenous issues and discuss what the road might look like from here. Anarchist in the U.K. President Donald Trump went to the U.K. this week for a state visit and some of that pomp and circumstance that seems to be the only part of being president he enjoys. Still, Trump's gonna Trump, and he picked a fight with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, called the Duchess of Sussex a "nasty" woman, and embarrassed Theresa May by endorsing two of the people trying to replace her. All that, and Javanka re-enacting the Flowers in the Attic cover on this week's edition of TrumpWorld! License to Stay Ill. The Quebec association representing pharmacy chains has been having stores that carry homeopathic treatments post a warning label on them to tell consumers that the cure all they're looking at may not actually cure all, or anything for that matter. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart in the U.S. is being sued for the way their chain markets homeopathic cures. What's driving this push back against the so-called "home cure" industry, and does this have anything to do with the blowback on anti-vaxxers or big Pharma? Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

Some 900 people live in Grassy Narrows and health official say 90 per cent have signs of mercury poisoning, which include vision and hearing impairment, tremors, and decreased cognitive function. That and more on this episode of APTN InFocus.

Jody Wilson-Raybould's release of her phone call with former Privy Council Clerk, Michael Wernick, has opened a new series of questions and concerns about Wernick and Gerald Butts testifying at the parliamentary justice committee. Guest:  Lisa Raitt. Deputy leader. CPC. Justice committee member.   Brian Peckford is the former Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador who was very much engaged in political negotiations, including with Pierre Trudeau (Charter of Rights) from the reasonable, to anything but.  Premier Peckford shares his views on the Jody Wilson-Raybould & Michael Wernick phone call and where he believes this entire saga is headed. Guest:  Brian Peckford.  Former Premier, Newfoundland and Labrador.   David Akin, chief parliamentary correspondent for Global News, assesses yesterday's release of the recorded conversation between Jody Wilson-Raybould and Michael Wernick, as well as the dozens of pages of written material.   Saskatchewan Premier Scott More joins Roy to discuss China slamming the door on Canadian canola, which is a multi-billion-dollar pain to this nation, and particularly the province of Saskatchewan. They also talk about the new carbon tax in four provinces, as well as the impact of the Jody Wilson-Raybould scandal on provincial governments.   On Wednesday evening at a Liberal Party fundraiser in Toronto, protesters attempted to inform Justin Trudeau about mercury contamination at the Grassy Narrows First Nation in northern Ontario. The Prime Minister's reply as the protester was being removed was "thank you for your donation." Trudeau apologized Thursday morning, but Chief Rudy Turtle tells Roy the apology isn't satisfying First Nations leaders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Environmentalists Vs. Canadian Government Since December 2002 the Ojibway community of Grassy Narrows in North Western Ontario has maintained a major road Blockade to cut access to their traditional indigenous territory from Abtibi Consolidated Inc. Abtibi, a Montreal based corporation with the go-ahead of the Provincial Government of Ontario has been clear cutting the traditional lands of the Grassy Narrows Ojibway people. Within the last week, numerous road blockades were struck by the community of Grassy Narrows, almost completely blocking Abtibi Consolidated access to the indigenous lands, which they have been clear- cutting. The Provincial government of Ontario and regional police departments has made it clear that they are prepared to take action against the Grassy Narrows community if the Blockades' intensity is increased in the coming days. Stefan Cristoff reports from Montreal. listen to reports produced for Free Speech Radio News between 2002 - 2012, the flagship Pacifica radio daily news program, these reports were produced in Montreal, but also in Beirut, Lebanon. putting these reports up for archiving purposes, they address numerous grassroots struggles for justice and against oppression, particularly looking at struggles surrounding migrant justice, also indigenous movements for land and rights, while also struggles against colonialist wars today & the persisting impacts of wars past. thank you for listening ! stefan @spirodon

Sara Mainville is one of the most reputable and accomplished First Nations' lawyers in Canada. In this episode of Of Counsel, Sara Mainville joins us to discuss her role as counsel, strategic advisor, and negotiator within OKT Law, a leading law firm in Aboriginal legal affairs. After completing her law degree at Queen's University, Sara continued [...]

In part one of this two-part interview with Ontario's Environmental Commissioner, Dianne Saxe, we delve into the industrial tragedy that has haunted two first nations communities in north-western Ontario for over 50 years. The paper mill located on the Wabigoon-English River system continues to impact the Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong Communities following an estimated initial dump of 11 tons of Mercury into the environment. We also explore the reasons behind the blue-green algae issues in Lake Erie and elsewhere, and why the government is dragging its heels on addressing what's clearly the main source of the problem.

I'm honored to have a platform to share this week's story. It's all about one of the most beautiful places in the world, the lakes, rivers and wilderness of Grassy Narrows in Ontario, Canada. Grassy Narrows sits on the English River about 40 miles north of Kenora, the nearest town. It's an isolated, wild, gorgeous place full of tranquil watersheds and Canadian wildlife. When I imagine the northern wilderness, I imagine the English River and it's lakes. My dad and I have traveled to the First Nation community (similar to a Native American Reservation) for our last few fishing trips up north and have enjoyed the peace the lake has brought us along with all the delicious Walleye. Ryan Duplassie is part of the department of Native Studies for the University of Manitoba. As we came back to camp, the area we previously had to ourselves was now full of college students. Ryan was teaching a 10 day travel study course focused on the Grassy Narrows Community. Within a 20 minute conversation, two things were apparent, Ryan was an excellent, passionate teacher AND the beautiful area we had enjoyed over the last three days and the people who relied on it for livelihood had been completely DEVASTATED by deadly pollution, neglectful politics, and opportunists willing to take advantage without a second thought. Here's the story in a nutshell: Ryan informed us that in the 1960s a paper mill in Dryden, Ontario disposed incredibly harmful pollution into the English River and Wabagoon River watershed. This went on for a decade before the government instated regulations causing them to stop. This severely disabled the Grassy Narrows First Nation Community, essentially contaminating their food source (the fish that I was currently eating), taking away their livelihood, and poisoning their community (90% have mercury poisoning also referred to Ontario Minamata Disease). When we spoke at the campsite, Ryan explained that neither the paper company (technically it was legal to dump at the time) or the government was willing to pay for the cleanup (in the last month they've put up $85 million to begin this herculean task). First of all I was shocked. How could this gorgeous part of the world be poisoned and f****ed over like this?? The paradigm I had in my head about where we were choosing to enjoy outside time was shattered. And, I was ashamed and embarrassed for being so completely uninformed and ignorant of what was happening in a part of the world I enjoyed. I haven't been able to get it out of my head since. So this podcast was my small way to let Ryan's voice be heard and hopefully inform and influence you about environmental concerns throughout the world. Time to get preachy....hold on to your britches (pants..for us non-old timers).... If you're listening to this podcast, you probably LOVE the outdoors. You most likely enjoy your time exploring, pushing your limits, and appreciating the beautiful nature we are lucky enough to have in this country, throughout this continent and on this planet. Personally, I would go absolutely crazy if I wasn't able to head out my door into the mountains, forests, plains, lakes, and so on. That's why understanding and being informed about issues that affect these wild places (which I fully admit I previously was not about Grassy Narrows) should be important to you. Let alone the concern with how we should treat other humans (which are also addressed in this episode)! At the end of the episode Ryan shares a very important message of hope. Start at a local level. Understand the issues that are affecting the area you live in and pursue ways to make positive changes. Start small, be consistent, and speak up when you see or hear about something you don't think is right. Get 'em guys! And enjoy this week's show! Ryan was awesome, intelligent, well-informed, and ultimately optimistic about a place and a group of people he loves and admires.

Honikman discusses the teen "protestors" that were ejected from the Ontario Legislature for wearing matching t-shirts that read "water is sacred". The teens were demanding the province clean up the decade long mercury poising in their reserve's water. 

Community elders, youth musicians and activist/journalist Avi Lewis call upon the Ontario government to clean up mercury contamination in Northwestern Ontario affecting Indigenous communities.

Craig Benjamin of Amnesty International has been following the campaign at Grassy Narrows, in Ontario, to have the toxic mercury levels in their waters cleaned up.

A group of people from Grassy Narrows spoke at a public forum about the current conditions on their reserve and demanded action on mercury pollution.

This week: Layoffs at GM, fallout from the cancellation of a Mississauga gas plant, mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows, the Ontario Tuition Grant, job losses at race tracks.

This month we interview Indigenous Peoples' Solidarity Movement activist Shelagh Pizey-Allen about the Grassy Narrows blockade, reveal the results of a scientific analysis of last month's spine- tingling seance, talk to a man who is directly related to a historic moment in Propagandhi history and in the course of recounting a wildly speculative biography of Mel Gibson, somehow find common ground between David Bowie and Cryptic Slaughter. All this and more (or less) on what has been described by critics as "one of the most podcasts in history"...

This month we interview Indigenous Peoples' Solidarity Movement activist Shelagh Pizey-Allen about the Grassy Narrows blockade, reveal the results of a scientific analysis of last month's spine- tingling seance, talk to a man who is directly related to a historic moment in Propagandhi history and in the course of recounting a wildly speculative biography of Mel Gibson, somehow find common ground between David Bowie and Cryptic Slaughter. All this and more (or less) on what has been described by critics as "one of the most podcasts in history"...