Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

GRASSY NARROWS, ONTARIO - Our Christian Peacemaker Team delegation interrupted William Fobister, Chief of the Grassy Narrows First Nation in northwestern Ontario, as he skinned a beaver. William excused himself from shaking our hands, invited us into his small house, and said he could talk with us as he continued working.

The CPT delegation visited Grassy Narrows Nov. 21-22 to build on CPT's previous visits and to explore whether a CPT presence might be invited in case of clashes with police, government agencies or loggers.

William spoke gently to the rhythm of his hands working the beaver hide. "We're a nation in a box," he said and for the next couple of hours explained the construction of that box. His community has found itself under pressure from the interests of outside powers. After a forcible relocation in the 1960's, the social fallout of the residential school system, and a river system poisoned by mercury, the pulp and paper giant, Abitibi- Consolidated Inc., is now constricting the box further.

Abitibi continues to clearcut the traditional land use area of the Anishnabek people, sweeping away the traplines of several residents and widely affecting all trapping in the area. The fur trade is almost the only source of income in Grassy Narrows.

Despite confrontations with government and police, elders, band councilors and other community members cut their firewood on Crown land as they have done since time immemorial. Joe Fobister, owner of JB's Store, drove the team through mile after mile of clearcuts and sterile, monoculture tree plantations on the community's traditional lands. "I'm trying to educate my people to exercise their treaty rights," as he explained the cutting of firewood by reserve residents. He also showed us the rotting, water-logged pile of scrap timber which the government has offered as alternative firewood, and a big oil spill left by loggers in plain view but still ignored by government forestry officials.

The team had little to say as Chief Fobister spoke. We did acknowledge his people's courage and persistence. He looked up from his pelt and replied, "We're like the beaver. You tear down their dam, they'll build it again, overnight. You take them away from their home and they come back...until you kill them...I guess. And even then, after awhile, a different family will come."

The CPT delegation consisted of Erna and Egon Enns (Winnipeg MB), Lisa Martens (Brandon MB), and Matt Schaaf (Battleford SK).