Solidarity with the Grassy Narrows March for the Land

Join our Justice for Workers contingent. On September 27th at 12:00 PM, five First Nations from Northern Ontario are leading a march calling on Premier Ford to end unwanted mining activity on their Territories. These five strong First Nations have formed a historic alliance to protect their lands and waters in the face of mounting concerns about encroachment on their territories by mining exploration companies who have been enabled by the Ford Government.

BACKGROUND

Prospectors have staked thousands of new claims on these First Nations’ territories since Ford came to power. They are exploiting Ontario’s antiquated “free entry” mining system that allows companies and individuals to stake mining claims on First Nations lands from the comfort of their offices, without gaining the consent of the Indigenous people who live there. 

Prospectors are not required by Ontario to give any notice to First Nations until after the claims have been registered and are in force. Conversely, Ontario does not inform prospectors which First Nation’s land they are staking until after the claims are purchased.  The claims grant the prospector a wide range of rights under Crown law to explore the area for valuable minerals and to own the treasures that are found under the ground.

However, the areas that these prospectors are staking have been home to Indigenous people for countless generations and continue to provide the sources of life, culture, and livelihood for them. In spite of the well-known concerns of these First Nations, and many attempts to bring the Ford government to the table, the free entry system remains in place and new claims continue to be registered in social conflict zones against the will of First Nations.