FIGHTING BACK


RESISTING THE LEGACY OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM


BY JOANNE FORMANEK GUSTAFSON “


munity of Gojijiing (anglicized as Couchiching First Nation) in the 1940s and 50s. As a young man, Rory had a farm on the Rainy River, downstream about 40 km, but had been forced to relocate to reserve lands “designated for the Indians” in the late 1800s. (Note: ‘Indian’ is the terminology of the treaties and of the Indian Act, and is used in this context.) After Treaty 3 was signed in 1873, colonization led to the dispossession of my great-grandfather’s farm. As the settler pop- ulation in the area increased, lands occupied by Indigenous peoples were claimed for industry, settlements and farming. Resource extrac- tion began first with forestry for building materials and then for pa- permaking. Around 1900, a dam was built on the Rainy River at Fort Frances to provide water for a papermill. This affected the way of life of Anishinabek (Ojibwe people) living on the connected lakes and rivers, flooding traditionally used lands and displacing the Anishinaabeg yet again as people were moved to new reserve sites. Since 2010, Couchiching has been advocating for cleanup of


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a site contaminated by sawmill operations nearly 100 years ago. It had been leased by Indian Affairs for almost 100 years and used for commercial and industrial activities by non-Indigenous business- es. I hear similar stories about Indian reserves across Canada and the environmental impacts that have had (and continue to have)


E 12 ETFO VOICE | SPRING 2020


hen I get my farm back, my boy, when I get my farm back.” These are the words that my great-grandfather Rory McPherson often said to his grandson (my uncle) as they sat together at their home in the com-


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