FreeGrassy
5,000 signatures reached
To: Doug Ford
No Mining On Anishinaabe Territory
.jpg)
Dear Premier Ford,
Since 2018 there have been over 5,000 mining claims made in Grassy Narrows due to your refusal to withdraw the area from mining and logging activity.
Mining prospectors are staking these claims in areas that have been home to Indigenous people for countless generations and continue to provide the sources of life, culture, and livelihood for them. In spite of the well-known concerns of Grassy Narrows, and many attempts to bring your government to the table, the free entry system remains in place and new claims continue to be registered in social conflict zones against the will of Grassy Narrows.
I am calling on you to meet with Chief Turtle and the First Nations Land Defence Alliance immediately and put an end to the “free entry” system.
Why is this important?
This system allows companies and individuals to stake mining claims on First Nations lands from the comfort of their offices, without gaining the consent of the Indigenous people who live there. You have stated that we need to “listen to Indigenous voices and ensure they are heard loudly and clearly.” Your government’s refusal to respect Grassy Narrows’ Indigenous Protected Area completely contradicts your own words. This is not in the spirit of reconciliation that your government espouses to care about.
Grassy Narrows has been fighting for justice for over 50 years, it is time to make things right. Grassy Narrows is demanding that Ontario respect their Indigenous Protected Area and end all logging and mining activity on the area. Will you commit to that now?
We must respect Grassy Narrows' decisions for their territory. Never again should harmful decisions be imposed on Grassy Narrows people and the territory that they depend on.
This is an issue of high concern to me and I will be watching closely to see that justice comes at long last to Grassy Narrows.