Young people from Grassy Narrows are travelling to Toronto for a massive rally on June 20th to focus attention to urgency of addressing the crisis of mercury poisoning facing their First Nation.
Amnesty International is urging its members and supporters to do all they can to help this vital and timely campaign.
The people of Grassy Narrows are living with the devastating consequences of a half century of mercury contamination of their rivers and lakes. The harm they’ve experienced, including erosion of culture, loss of livelihoods, and one of the worst community health crises anywhere in Canada, has been made so much worse by decades of government denial and inaction.
Last month, federal Indigenous Services Minister Seamus O’Regan visited Grassy Narrows but failed to deliver on a long promised treatment centre for mercury survivors.
This stalling and inaction is all the more shocking in light of the fact that two of the United Nations independent human rights advisors, the expert of health and the expert on toxic wastes, have now both urged Canada to take action on the mercury crisis.
Here’s what you can do to support the people of Grassy Narrows at this crucial moment:
- If you live in Toronto, please show your support by coming out for River Run at Queen’s Park at noon on Thursday June 20th.
- Donate to support this important event.
- Show your solidarity. Artist Isaac Murdoch has created this amazing image to support Grassy Narrows. Make it your profile picture on social media. Print it out and post a selfie holding the image with the hashtag #GrassyNarrows
- Join the youth of Grassy Narrows in a twitter campaign urging Prime Minister Trudeau to keep his promises. Sample tweet: .@JustinTrudeau your government won’t deal with the mercury crisis at #GrassyNarrows ‘once and for all’ if not you don’t act. Keep your promise. #mercuryjustice
- Join and promote Amnesty International’s online petition
For more information on River Run 2019, see freegrassy.net
