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Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs INAN Ï NUMBER 155 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 42nd PARLIAMENT EVIDENCE Thursday, June 6, 2019 Chair The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk 1 Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs Thursday, June 6, 2019 Grassy Narrows. In 1970, it was discovered that there was a high level of mercury in the English-Wabigoon river system. The Ï (0845) contamination was traced to an area pulp and paper mill, found to [English] have been dumping effluent containing high levels of mercury into The Chair (Hon. MaryAnn Mihychuk (Kildonan—St. Paul, the water system for a number of years. Lib.)): Good morning, everyone. Thank you for tuning in and for arriving. We're at the indigenous and northern affairs standing The communities of Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong First committee of Parliament. We are so pleased to have you here on the Nation, known as Whitedog, were deeply impacted, with much of unceded territory of the Algonquin people. the population of both communities having varying degrees of mercury exposure. All Canadians are in a process of truth and reconciliation. Canada has a long history of colonization and policies that have oppressed a In 1986, two pulp and paper mill companies, together with the particular group of people who, historically, were extremely Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, paid a total of generous and helpful to settlers, and still are. We say this not only $16.67 million, in a one-time compensation payment to the two as a formality but also as an opportunity to reflect on our history, communities. whether we come from here in Ottawa with the Algonquin people, or, like me, from the homeland of the Métis on Treaty No. 1 territory. The same year, the provincial and federal governments established Each and every Canadian has a role in this story, and I ask everyone a Mercury Disability Board to oversee the administration of a trust to reflect on that. fund from which benefits are paid to those showing symptoms of Today, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), we are conducting a mercury poisoning. Indigenous Services Canada continues to study on the Grassy Narrows First Nation and the issue of the recognize the importance of the ongoing work the Mercury mercury that was leaching into the Wabigoon River system. This is Disability Board does for the people of Grassy Narrows First something that happened decades ago, and we know that people Nation and Wabaseemoong Independent Nation. suffered because of that industrial development. The branch I oversee—the first nations and Inuit health branch— Thank you for coming. which fell within the purview of Health Canada prior to the announcement of the creation of Indigenous Services Canada, has We have before us the Department of Indigenous Services, the had historical involvement in evaluation of the human health impacts Department of the Environment and the Department of Health. The of mercury contamination in the English-Wabigoon river system, presenters from each department will have 10 minutes, and after that and has been providing primary care and public health services to the we'll go into a series of questions. community for decades. Primary health care, treatment and On the order paper, I have us opening with the Department of community-based services, including mental wellness programming Indigenous Services. and medical transportation, are currently provided to Grassy Narrows through nurses. Keith Conn and Tom Wong, however you want to split it, when you're ready, please begin. Since 1970, our department has been investigating and supporting Mr. Keith Conn (Assistant Deputy Minister, First Nations and assessments of the impacts of mercury contamination on the Inuit Health Branch, Department of Indigenous Services residents of Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong, which has Canada): Thank you, Madam Chair. included hair and blood sampling of community members, and monitoring and funding of environmental studies, as requested by Good morning. Thank you for inviting us to appear before the the community. committee to discuss the critical issue of mercury contamination, which is continuing to affect the community of Grassy Narrows. Indigenous Services Canada has recently been working closely Before I continue, I'd like to acknowledge that we are meeting on with Dr. Donna Mergler, a prominent environmental health the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin people. researcher selected by the community of Grassy Narrows and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, to support the To start, I'll give a brief history of mercury contamination that has investigation of the long-term health impacts of historic mercury impacted the community of Asubpeeschoseewagong, also known as exposure. 2 INAN-155 June 6, 2019 We also provided funding in 2018-19 for an expert panel to review Environment): Good morning Madam Chair and committee medical and scientific evidence that will inform the Mercury members. Disability Board. The work is well under way, and expected to conclude, with recommendations, by the end of 2019-20. I want to start by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin people. My name While the legacy of mercury poisoning impacts all the families in is Susan Humphrey. I am the associate regional director general in Grassy Narrows, the needs and aspirations of the community are not Ontario region for Environment and Climate Change Canada. uniform. We need to support the whole community—children, youth, adults and the elderly population. We acknowledge that the community has been directly and indirectly impacted by mercury Thank you for the invitation to appear before you today to discuss poisoning. Regardless of the underlying causes, we are working, and Environment and Climate Change Canada's role with respect to will continue to work with Grassy Narrows' leadership and first mercury contamination in the English-Wabigoon river system. nations' partners to support improvements to the health and well- Protecting Canada's freshwater resources is a key priority for the being of all community members. Government of Canada. Responsibility for protection of freshwater quality in Canada is divided between the federal and provincial This is why, on November 29, 2017, in a meeting with Grassy levels of government. In the case of mercury contamination in the Narrows First Nation, the Governments of Ontario and Canada English-Wabigoon river system, the Government of Ontario has the committed to fund the design, construction and operation of a lead on working with the Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong first mercury treatment centre in Grassy Narrows. We continue to work nations communities to clean up the problem. closely with Grassy Narrows and remain steadfast in our commit- ments to build a health facility that supports the unique needs of the This is a long-standing problem, with mercury contamination community. originating from pulp mill operations in the 1960s and the 1970s. Cleaning up mercury contamination in the English-Wabigoon river Early in 2018, funding was provided to the community to system is an extremely challenging problem, with more than a 100 complete a feasibility study. Departmental officials have been kilometres of river between the mill site and the first nation working and meeting with Grassy Narrows' technical advisers to communities. advance the project. The province has recently become engaged in this discussion and has committed to supply services that fall within its responsibility, such as physicians, specialists and allied health In 2017, the Government of Ontario announced $85 million professionals. towards cleaning up the contamination and it renewed its commitment to planning and implementing clean-up measures in It's imperative that Canada, Ontario and Grassy Narrows' cooperation with the first nation communities. Environment and leadership work together to ensure that the community receives Climate Change Canada is engaged in the remediation efforts led by the supports required. the Government of Ontario. Specifically, the department is providing scientific and technical advice to the Ontario Ministry of Environ- As you are aware, the Minister of Indigenous Services recently ment, Conservation and Parks in relation to the remediation of met with Grassy Narrows' leadership to discuss a memorandum of aquatic contaminated sites and contaminated sediment remediation agreement on an approach that addresses the unique health needs of technologies. the community members of Grassy Narrows First Nation. Ï (0850) Environment and Climate Change Canada officials will continue to contribute to the efforts that the federal government is making to This agreement has not yet been signed. “Yet” is the key word. As provide relevant support to the Government of Ontario and the the minister commented earlier this week before this committee, this Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong first nation communities as is part of the negotiations. The government is committed to reaching they work to resolve this serious issue. an agreement that will meet the community needs. We will continue working with Chief Turtle and his council until we agree on a Thank you. solution that meets the health needs of Grassy Narrows now and in the longer term. Ï (0855) In closing, Madam Chair, by collaborating with the community in The Chair: Thank you. Ontario on this innovative project, Indigenous Services Canada will continue to demonstrate its firm commitment to advancing Our last presenter is Greg Carreau from the Department of Health. reconciliation and improving the socio-economic and health out- comes of indigenous peoples. Mr. Greg Carreau (Director, Water and Air Quality Bureau, Thank you, Madam Chair. Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Depart- ment of Health): Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the The Chair: Now we move to Susan Humphrey from the committee. Department of the Environment. Ms. Susan Humphrey (Associate Regional Director General, Good morning. My name is Greg Carreau and I'm the director of Strategic Policy Branch, Ontario Region, Department of the the water and air quality bureau at Health Canada.

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