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| GRASSY NARROWS, ONTARIO POX 1B0 PHONE (807) 925-2201 FAX (807) 925-2649 |
Traditional Land Use Boundaries Asserted..Grassy Narrows to Post All Access Roads.
Grassy Narrows, Ontario, Canada) Grassy Narrows First Nation has begun posting signs throughout its traditional land use area consists of 2,000 square miles within the 55,000 square miles of treaty #3. The protection of resources on their ancestral lands has become urgent. Access to those lands is being denied. The community is painting signs declaring its land rights and giving notice it will assert its traditional interests.
"The clear cutting going on is ruining the land everyday. The aerial spraying stops us as native people from picking blueberries as well as other damages," said Chief Bill Fobister. "We need to take action on our own now."
The community will post signs on every access road leading into its traditional territory. "Those signs will mostly let people know where they are. The signs will tell people to enjoy the country. The signs will tell them to treat the land with respect," Fobister added.
The community is feeling insecure about its land use future. The Lands for Life process barely mentions the First nation physical and legal fact. The Federal Government ‘An agenda for action with First nations’ place lands and resources on a list once again. This after Gvecin, sparrow, degamuukw and RCAP have set a course for action that requires practical imiplemntation.
"The big industrial companies are the ones getting the support and benefit. The government restricts ordinary people and First Nations more and more. We, as the native people, live closest to the land. Our communities are first and most affected". Fobister said.
We have the least leverage because everyone just ignores us. These traditional land use area signs are a reminder we are here. We will not be forgotten or left out or abused much longer." Fobister concluded.
The reserve of 1200 people live down stream from a pulp mill. The community is surrounded by clear cuts. Each sector of a once self sustaining economy has been destroyed by the actions taken for other people’s interest. The traditional land area signs are signs of the times. The people of Grassy Narrows will take responsibility for their lands and act proactively and positively. The whack of hammers, the odour of paint, the words on plywood are signs of new stage in the struggle for survival of a land based people.
GRASSY NARROWS FIRST NATION
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