Grassy Narrows First Nation on alert for logging. - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources News Roundup

The Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation (Grassy Narrows) is on alert for logging trucks to come in April 2014.

Grassy Narrows is the home of the longest running First Nations blockade in Canada. Its original Slant Lake blockade site, about 100 km north of Kenora, Ontario, started on December 2, 2002.

Last year, DaSilva won a Michael Sattler Peace Prize from the German Mennonite Peace Committee for her non-violent direct-action approach in the blockade at Grassy Narrows traditional territory, within the Treaty 3 region.

week’s council meeting calling on Natural Resources Minister David Orazietti and Premier Kathleen Wynne to stop the closure. This will also be sent to the pair in the form of a letter.

Logging halted for over 11 years, but in the past few months things are picking up once again.

In December 2013, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources finalized and approved a 10-year Forest Management Plan (FMP), originally introduced in 2011.

“Under this plan, there are no planned harvest blocks located within the Grassy Narrows’ self-identified traditional land use area,” said Minister David Orazietti in a statement on November 6, 2013.

Orazietti’s assurances contradicted what Grassy Narrows saw in the FMP.

Grassy Narrows has been rejecting the plan, citing a lack of duty to consult and clear-cut logging on their traditional territory.

“The minister’s statement is false, and completely misrepresents Ontario’s plans for another decade of clear-cut logging on our territory against our will, “ clarified Chief Simon Fobister in a media release on November 7, 2013.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed to CBC by e-mail on January 31st that clear-cut logging would start on April 1st.

— Crystal Greene.
CBC News.