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“Ottawa and Queen’s Park have known about mercury poisoning and its impacts on the two communities for decades.
The Reed Paper mill, which operated in Dryden, Ont., dumped several tons of mercury into the Wabigoon River between the 1960s and 1970s. Mercury continues to sicken the people of Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong, who once depended on fish from the Wabigoon River.
Philpott, who spoke to reporters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, said she understands the two First Nations have undergone “trauma” as a result of mercury poisoning. However, she said her officials still need more information before moving ahead with the communities’ request for a health centre specifically designed to deal with patients suffering from mercury poisoning.
Philpott said officials are still unclear whether the First Nations want an outpatient facility or inpatient facility and what sorts of speciality services they require.”
– CBC News, Ottawa working on health facility plans for 2 First Nations suffering from mercury poisoning.
“The people living in a northern Ontario community near where a toxic dump of 10 tonnes of mercury occurred five decades ago are still suffering the neurological effects of mercury poisoning, and a report about the effects of the poisoning was never made public, First Nations leaders say.
For years, the residents of Grassy Narrows First Nation, a community of 1,500 outside Kenora, have complained about symptoms consistent with mercury poisoning after a paper mill dumped the mercury into the Wabigoon-English River system between 1962 and 1970.”
– The Star, Report on mercury poisoning never shared, Grassy Narrows leaders say.
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Download the 18″x24″ poster (.pdf), Indian Country 52 #48 – Mercury Poisoning.
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Indian Country 52
Indian Country 52 is a weekly project by David Bernie that uses the medium of posters that promote issues and stories in Indian Country.
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This work by David Bernie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. You may download, share, and post the images under the condition that the works are attributed to the artist.
