The Chief of Grassy Narrows says his people are being asked to alter their entire lifestyle.
Chief Rudy Turtle spoke at the 2018 AFN Special Chiefs Assembly and says decisions in the past have put his people in a bind.
He says mercury poisoning has completely shut down any commercial fishing in the community.
“How can you tell someone ‘quit eating fish,’ when it’s part of their diet and it’s part of their traditional indigenous diet for centuries. You can’t tell us to stop eating fish, maybe we should tell you to stop eating chicken.”
He adds the economy of his community suffers because trapping is no longer feasible.
Turtle says that too often his community is asked to sign deals that aren’t fair.
He shared why his community turns down big deals with logging and mining companies that don’t help his community.
“Often times you sign these deals and they sound really good but at the end of the day we are at the short end of the stick. We want to be in the driver’s seat and we will continue to make it very clear that we will protect our land.”
Turtle says his community will only accept mutually beneficial agreements for the environment and the economy.
Chief Turtle also called the benefits system for indigenous people flawed.
He says the system isn’t balanced and compensation isn’t fairly given.
“Someone could be from up north, further north from us, who is not affected by mercury. They transferred into our community, they apply for benefits and they get it. I’ve been living [in Grassy Narrows] most of my life and I’ve applied seven times and every time I get rejected.”
He says the government also has applicants go through a series of tests to determine compensation, tests which he says are also flawed.
