As a union that represents federal public sector employees, CAPE recognizes that we have a special role to play in holding the employer accountable to its commitments to reconciliation and upholding Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination.
On September 18, CAPE will be joining the Grassy Narrows River Run, a call to justice in which Grassy Narrows youth, elders, and community members gather with labour leaders and allies from all across the country in Toronto to amplify the community's demands.
Join this year’s Grassy Narrows River Run
Grassy Narrows is an Anishinaabe community in Northern Ontario that has been engaged in a decades-long struggle to improve their health and the health of their lands and waters. Once a thriving fishing community, they faced displacement and relocation from their original territories after hydroelectric dams were built on their lands.
Between 1962 and 1970, a paper mill company dumped more than 10,000 kg of mercury into Grassy Narrows territorial waters. Today, every member of the community has been impacted by mercury poisoning – yet they are still fighting to have this disaster recognized and fully compensated by the government.
We must stand behind Indigenous communities in their demands for sovereignty over their lands and waters, and we stand in solidarity with Grassy Narrows in their fight for mercury justice.
The Grassy Narrows River Run takes place every September, as members of the community and allies converge in Toronto to raise awareness about the devastating crisis. This year, CAPE has partnered with the Public Service Alliance of Canada and Research for the Front Lines to send members from Ottawa and Montreal by bus.
Complete this form if you would like to attend. Space is limited, so register as soon as possible. The bus will leave Montreal and Ottawa on Tuesday, September 17 and return on the evening of Wednesday, September 18. Members are encouraged to arrange their own overnight accommodations, but various churches and community organizations have coordinated billeting. We can help connect you if needed. Let us know at general@acep-cape.ca.
CAPE Local 511 will be marching with the contingent.
All members attending must ensure that they have booked the hours off of work and are participating on their own time.
Resources
For more information about the Grassy Narrows community and their ongoing fight for justice and freedom, please consult the resources below.
Videos
- The Youth Rising Up Against Canada's Mercury Crisis – Amnesty International
- Grassy Narrows Campaign Video – RAVEN Trust
- 20th Anniversary Video – Free Grassy Narrows
- The Story of Grassy Narrows - PSAC
- Still Thirsty for Justice – PSAC
- As Long as The River Flows: The Story of the Grassy Narrows Blockade
- Grassy Narrows: Forty Years Later – CBC The National
Free Grassy Narrows social media
