NDP’s Rudy Turtle Reacts to Liberal's Failure to Reach Agreement with Grassy Narrows

KENORA – NDP candidate Rudy Turtle (Kenora) condemned Trudeau's Liberals failure to reach an agreement over an on-reserve care facility for people in Grassy Narrows First Nation suffering from the effects of mercury poisoning before the dissolution of Parliament. Trudeau’s Liberals had years to come to an agreement and solve the problem, but they didn’t.

“Children and elders are suffering from mercury poisoning every day in Grassy Narrows,” said Turtle. “Justin Trudeau promised to build a treatment center to help our people. He had four years to fix the problem, but he failed. This isn’t how Reconciliation works.”

Grassy Narrows families have suffered from mercury poisoning because of a corporate chemical-dumping crime that poisoned the English and Wabigoon rivers in the 1960s and ‘70s. The Liberal government promised a much-needed mercury care facility to care for the sickest residents — but has been stalling, trying to get away with delivering much less than promised, or perhaps nothing at all.

“Conservative and Liberal governments came and left, and the people of Grassy Narrows are still getting sick,” added Turtle. “When elected, I will work in Ottawa to ensure that Grassy Narrows is heard so we can finally build a treatment center to help people suffering from mercury poisoning and clean the river.”

For New Democrats, Reconciliation is at the heart of our work. We will honour our treaties, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, close the health gap and renew the relationship between Canada and First Nations with an Action Plan on Reconciliation.

Facts

• An independent study by Japanese researchers found that more than 90% of people in Grassy Narrows and nearby Wabaseemoong suffer from symptoms of mercury poisoning.
• A 2015 scientific report found that there is ongoing contamination in lakes and rivers upstream of Grassy Narrows.
• A 2018 report found that mercury exposure was linked to serious issues in children's health, including learning disabilities, language or speech disorders, anemia, and visual problems.
• Only 6% of people in Grassy Narrows currently receive compensation from the mercury disability board, which relies on outdated medical criteria to assess eligibility.
• Justin Trudeau promised in 2017 to solve the issue "once and for all," and then called it "very much a provincial issue" two months later.
• Earlier this year, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau sarcastically thanked protesters from Grassy Narrows for their donation at an exclusive event for well-heeled Liberal donors.