Conversations on race and climate change Case studies CASE STUDY #4 by C. Gauthier CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ASUBPEESCHOSEEWAGONG ANISHINABEK ATLANTIC OCEAN (GRASSY NARROWS FIRST NATION) Root cause analysis to Treaty No. 3, drafted and administered by various agents The Asubpeeschoseewagong of the Dominion of Canada Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows (Treaty No. 3 1873; Seymour First Nation) have been living 2015; McCrossan 2018; Filice within their traditional territory, 2016). This agreement served to nurturing relationships with outline rights and responsibilities land and relatives in the boreal of the Canadian state and of the forest since time immemorial represented Indigenous Nations (Asubpeeschoseewagong in regards to an area of over 14 Netum Anishinabek 2018). million hectares of Anishinaabeg Their territory extends over territory (Filice 2016; Treaty No. Asubpeeschoseewagong nearly 6,500 square kilometers 3 1873). The treaty describes the Anishinabaek (Grassy in the northwest of modern- objectives of the Dominion of Narrows First Nation) day Ontario, Canada and holds Canada to motivate settlement a wealth of memory, life and by non-Indigenous subjects, connection in stories, waterways, and to reward land clearing LAGO DE IZABEL and other-than-human and agricultural production by communities (Grassy Narrows Indigenous communities (Treaty Organizers n.d.). No. 3 1873). The enactment of this agreement highlights In more recent generations the assertion of ownership however, these vibrant, life- and domination of the settler giving relationships have been colonial government over faced with the authoritative, territories and communities exploitative and anthropocentric thriving therein. ways of relating asserted by the settler colonial nation-state. In Generations after its signing, 1873, the Anishinaabeg Grand Treaty No. 3 continues to Council of Chiefs were signatory legitimize the exploitation and – 25 – – 26 – Increase in violence against sex workers Conversations on race and climate change Case studies Clearcut logging Mercury poisoning of fish Release of more mercury into water systems Cultural – loss of culturally important practices and traditions (currently held immobile in intact forests) Economic – loss of profit from fish sales and from fishing tourism dispossession of numerous Narrows Organizers 2017). effects of mercury poisoning Soil instability, erosion, and compaction Species decline and illness human and other-than- The poisoning of various in the community, the MDB Increased sedimentation in rivers (soil erosion) Food insecurity continues to deny 75% of claims Habitat fragmentation, destruction of cultural spaces, loss of culturally human communities under communities has disrupted important species, and biodiversity loss through monocultures Canadian law. The treaty is relationships within the made (Porter 2017). In addition, Climate feedbacks – release of stored carbon; destruction of effective carbon sinks but one of many articles of territory, magnifying suffering the funds received from the Risk of chemical spills from equipment Canadian law that sanctions into spiritual and social realms. MDB are largely insufficient to Mercury poisoning of fish the recurrent assaults on the As River People, members support community members, Social – displacement and family separation (e.g. medical trips) livelihoods and wellbeing of the Grassy Narrows First who are often debilitated and Health – physical; neurological; mobility; mental illness (spiritual, social, economic, unable to work or participate Spiritual & cultural – attack on cultural connection to water; loss of knowledge holders and practices Nation have described their Economic – inadequate compensation from MDB; cost of bottled water, driving to town to buy water, health, safety, environmental) experience of the poisoning of in traditional practices (Porter medical bills and transportation of the Asubpeeschoseewagong their waters as a direct attack on 2017). of extractivism. However, DAILY IMPACTS DAILY Anishinabek and their relations. part of my lineage is rooted Mercury poisoning of other Community a deeply valued member of the non-human communities Increased road traffic Today, the devastating impacts community (the late Chief Steve in Venezuela, a country that, Species decline and illness Increased contact with non-local of settler colonialism and while inflicting colonial violence Trophic cascades (all species effected, workers (hostility, racism, violence) Fobister, “The Story of Grassy directly and indirectly through food Police violence and over-policing extractive capitalism permeate on Indigenous people, is also webs and complex interactions) Narrows”). In addition, the Violence toward women and girls Bioaccumulation of mercury many aspects of daily life in afflicted with legacies and Domestic violence poisoning of fish has threatened Loss of cultural practices the community, and are upheld an important relationship and present realities of Canadian and Food insecurity by Treaty No. 3, government traditional food source for the US imperialism. bodies, and powerful corporate Grassy Narrows First Nation, Consultation Process Judicial System (Ontario Court of entities. as well as the local economic Despite these obvious Appeal; Supreme Court of Canada) benefits of fishing and tourism consequences of industrial Canadian Constitution Since the 1960s and 1970s, the (Porter 2017; Grassy Narrows activity, the Ontario Ministry of Law enforcement (OPP) people of Grassy Narrows First Organizers n.d.). Thus, the Natural Resources and Forestry Sparrow Analysis Treaty No. 3 Nation have suffered extensive extensive and complex tolls (MNR) has continued to issue Ontario health care system complications from mercury of mercury poisoning have fed logging permits throughout Ontario Ministry of Natural dumping from the Reed Paper into cycles of violence, despair, Grassy Narrows traditional Resources and Forestry (*2012 to 2022 Whiskey Jack Forest mill in Dryden, Ontario (Porter territory (Ontario Ministry STRUCTURES/INSTITUTIONS Mercury Disability Board addiction, mental illness, and Management Plan) 2017; “The Story of Grassy various other impacts of settler of Natural Resources of Narrows”). The profound health colonialism (Porter 2017; Grassy Forestry 2012). To challenge effects of mercury poisoning Narrows Organizers n.d.). the authority of the MNR to White supremacy have extended across three grant industrial access to treaty generations due to processes of In 1986, following a court lands the Grassy Narrows Extractive capitalism bioaccumulation, and are shown settlement between the Grassy First Nation initiated a court case against the provincial ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS of climate to affect 90% of the community Narrows First Nation and Anthropocentrism today (Porter 2017). various parties implicated in the government in 2005 (Thibodeau change and the Asubpeeschoseewagong Sovereignty (of decade of chemical dumping, 2015). Despite an early victory province & state Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) government Non-human communities in the Mercury Disability Board handed down by a provincial on Indigenous territory) the territory have also suffered (MDB) was established in judge, the Supreme Court of From Perera’s “Ineqaulitree,” used here with extensively throughout this order to provide compensation Canada ruled in 2014 that the appreciation. Leaves represent daily impacts Settler colonialism period, as waterways continue government of Ontario holds ROOT CAUSE IDEOLOGIES CAUSE ROOT (Perera’s “everyday symptoms”), the trunk for community members the right to “take up” lands represents structure and institutions, and Speciesism to be contaminated from stored affected by mercury poisoning roots represent root cause ideologies. caches of mercury effluent and (Porter 2017). Despite studies within Treaty No. 3 territory, Rationalism Cisheteropatriarchy from persistent leakage (Grassy highlighting the overwhelming and to suspend the hunting – 27 – – 28 – Conversations on race and climate change Case studies and fishing rights of Grassy (Broten and Gilmore 2017). communities, such as the state mining, hydroelectricity), 2012). Numerous community protecting and purifying Narrows First Nation assured In addition, the sanctioned judicial system, the MNR, and through access to public services demands have called for the poisoned territories, and by the treaty (Thibodeau 2015; logging practices have affected the Ontario Provincial Police funded by royalties collected end of clearcut logging on the reclaiming food sovereignty. Young et al. 2014; Townshend communities of moose, marten, (OPP). from industrial processes. territory (Grassy Narrows Youth 2017; Seymour 2015). This wild rice and blueberries, Finally, as a person employed Group 2014; Clan Mothers In 2017 the Ontario government outcome stands in stark contrast and have led to widespread Positionality statement in the forestry industry in of Asubpeeschoseewagong pledged $85 million to the to the 2016 Ontario Superior environmental degradation Canada, my income is directly 2007; Grassy Narrows restoration and rehabilitation Court ruling that exempted through habitat fragmentation, As a white settler with family derived from the same industrial Asubpeeschoseewagong of the Wabigoon River system Weyerhauser (a major wood chemical spills, soil erosion, and history extending multiple logging practices that are being Anishinabek 2014), notably the (Grassy Narrows Organizers products company) from monoculture production