Ecological knowledge group still fighting aerial spraying
By Leslie Knibbs
The Ecological Knowledge group (TEK) of Elders from all First Nations along the Highway 17 corridor between Batchewana Bay and Sagamok attended two meetings over the last month to discuss plans in their ongoing efforts to put a stop to the aerial spraying of Glyphosate in northern forests. With a recently acquired federal grant of fifty thousand dollars, the TEK group is now looking at ways of doing independent sampling and testing of water in their areas including rivers, lakes and streams. Health Canada’s mandatory ten year re-evaluation began last year on the safety of Gylphosate, a herbicide used in aerial spraying and classified by an agency of the World Health Organization as probably a carcinogenic to humans.
A request for a meeting with Health Canada and TEK made earlier in 2015 is still in the works. MP Carol Hughes of Algoma Manitoulin recently informed Elder Raymond Owl on April 6 their meeting request is now in the hands of the Health Minister with the new Liberal government, a response is expected to be forthcoming.
In addition to the meeting request, and a legitimate claim of scientific knowledge based on traditional ecology, TEK claims treaty rights recognized and affirmed in section 35 (1) of the Constitution Act of 1982 giving First Nations the rights to water and to hunt, fish and gather berries and plant medicines in traditional territories are being violated. Elders assert the use of aerial spraying of Glyphosate and the damage it causes to plants, water, and animals not only infringes on these rights but is a clear violation of the constitution.
At a meeting on March 10 at Serpent River First Nation (SRFN) a presentation from Dr. Carli Lang, an Environmental Scientist from the nonprofit group Tin Roof Global gave the TEK group detailed information about the health and environmental effects of different chemicals that may be in the water. Lang outlined the sampling process explaining the importance of choosing sampling appropriate to each area.
With information from Lang, Elders broke off into groups and studied aerial maps of all areas to determine possible sources of contaminants as well as suspected toxins in the water. With their discerning knowledge of each area, the Elders were able to identify specific regions where testing should take place. Areas of concern in the Great Lakes Basin were identified and noted from maps.
Elders state in their mission statement, “We have a right to clean air, water, soil and forests. We need to respect and protect this beautiful land and all of its amazing plant and animal life. We have a voice and need to be heard. Lets speak up and stand together.”
Health Canada is insistent that scientific evidence must be submitted by any concerned parties for consideration when doing the re-evaluation. The elders have insisted their traditional ecological knowledge should be considered scientific evidence. Once the proposed sampling and testing is completed, along with traditional scientific knowledge, TEK is confident meaningful steps will be taken by both governments to address their concerns.
Chief Seathl, one of the most revered First Nation chiefs, with his great and noble soul, faithfully mirrored the thoughts, dreams and aspirations of elders from the North Shore in his poem penned in 1852
“This we know.
The Earth does not belong to man:
Man belongs to the earth.
This we know.
All things are connected
Like the blood which unites one family.
All things are connected.
Whatever befalls the earth
Befalls the son of the earth.
Man did not weave the web of life.
He is merely a strand of it.
Whatever he does to the web,
He does to himself.”
Perhaps Raymond Owl conveyed Chief’s Seathl’s plea best when he told the Elders at an earlier meeting, “As humans we depend on the waters, air, plants, animals, birds, insects and medicines for survival, it is what sustains life, it is all inter connected. It is the Creator’s Plan for us to live in harmony with these elements and to benefit from a long healthy life when we respect and honor what is given to us. It is our duty therefore to uphold the Creator’s Plan.”
At a follow up meeting on April 6 in SRFN, meeting coordinator Sue Chiblow from Mississaugi First Nation told those attending the next steps are to arrange for Tin Roof Global to train youth and Elders in the sampling process, to brief all Chiefs and council on their efforts and gain their support. It is expected that sampling will begin this summer with three or four samples coming from each community according to Chiblow. Once that is done, all data will be submitted to government.