Grassy Narrows

Chrissy Isaacs's grandson knows the water is sick. He freaks out when he sees someone drinking from the tap. All he has known is big blue water jugs.

Over the past year, Indigenous communities across Canada have faced a number of crises — from natural disasters to the poisoning of air and water supplies by industry. We spoke with Patty Hajdu about this tumultuous time.

Patty Hajdu says the First Nations Clean Water Act will be “another tool” for nations to curb environmental racism and protect their waters — but that Conservative actions in the House have only obstructed its progress.

Researchers from the University of Western Ontario say that while the wastewater from the Dryden, Ont., mill doesn't contain mercury, the sulphate and organic matter in it contribute to the elevated production of methylmercury in the Wabigoon River.

“Our way of life has been totally destroyed.”

Alongside the calls from First Nations communities have been the calls from physicians. They, too, see the effects of environmental racism, including for their patients.

Scientists are tracking neurotoxic methylmercury production in North America’s largest peatland.

Young people from Grassy Narrows First Nation in northern Ontario led a march through Toronto Thursday to take up the long-standing calls of their community for compensation for mercury poisoning.

The area saw a close race in 2018 when NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa only beat his Progressive Conservative competitor by 1,467 votes.

New money for a treatment centre for those living with the effects of chronic mercury poisoning comes as a ray of hope for a northern Ontario First Nation that has spent the past six decades in the shadow of a decades-old water contamination scandal.

“My parents had mercury poisoning — they died. All my brothers have mercury poisoning — they’ve died... My kids have mercury poisoning. My grandkids have mercury poisoning,” Grassy Narrows elder Bill Fobister said.

"I think there's been some really good relationship building that's happened just through Jagmeet Singh," Grassy Narrows Chief Rudy Turtle said.

Profiles of one candidate from each major party, and the issues affecting ridings in northern Ontario, Nunavut, Saskatchewan and Vancouver Island.

With the front-runners catching their breath, the battle for third place seized the campaign spotlight on Saturday, October 5, 2019, as the NDP and the Green party each promised a new deal of sorts for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

First Nations leaders are mourning the death of a former Ontario chief.