Prominent groups to portage red canoe with over 35,000 signatures calling on Wynne to clean up Grassy Narrows mercury poison

July 7, 2016

Toronto - A broad range of prominent groups will portage a red canoe along with the names of 35,000 people calling on premier Wynne to commit immediately to clean up Grassy Narrows’ mercury poisoned river. They will carry the canoe 1,700 meters, one step for every kilometer that Grassy Narrows youth and elders travelled to Toronto in June to call for their river to be cleaned up - a demand for long overdue justice that has yet to be fulfilled.

Three generations of Grassy Narrows people bear the lifelong burden of mercury poisoning including loss of vision and hearing, tremors, and imbalance. Nothing has ever been done to clean the 9,000 kg of mercury that was dumped into the river that is the lifeblood of this Indigenous community even though scientists identified safe remediation methods in 1984 and again last May.

VISUAL: Supporters will portage a red canoe and 35,000 signatures up University Ave. to the steps of the Ontario Legislature.

WHAT: Press Conference and creative petition delivery.
WHEN: Thursday, July 7th
10:45 a.m. Portage begins at OCAD, 100 McCaul Street
11:30 a.m. Portage arrives at Queens Park via University Ave.
12:00 p.m. Press conference in front of Legislature steps.
WHERE: Queen’s Park, Toronto (front entrance, south side)

WHO:
Speakers include:
- Marie Clarke Walker Executive Vice-President, Canadian Labour Congress
- Amara Possian - Campaign Manager, Leadnow.ca
- Faisal Moola - Director General, Ontario and Northern Canada, David Suzuki Foundation
- Dawn Bellerose - Executive Board Representative for Aboriginal Workers, CUPE
- Mark Calzavara - Ontario-Quebec Organizer, Council of Canadians


For more information contact:
Amara Possian
Campaign Manager
Leadnow.ca
Phone: 416-444-6811
Email: amara@leadnow.ca