Teme-Augama Anishnabai (TAA)

Aerial Spraying

Aerial Chemical Spraying
I hope that you are all enjoying a wonderful summer.
Unfortunately, with summer, we receive notices of Aerial Chemical Spraying on n’Daki Menan. Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (MNDMNRF) is either site preparing an area before they plant and/or spraying a plantation to kill off herbaceous competing plants.

Many who have attended Forestry Information Sessions have had the heads up on the number of hectares to be sprayed in each of the Forest Management Units, which include Sudbury, Nipissing, Temagami and Timiskaming.
For years, we have written the MNDMNRF and they have always responded the same :

“that the herbicides used in Ontario are regulated for safety and use by Health Canada, and the MNR plans for the use of herbicides through preparation and approval of Aerial Spray Plans. The MNRF approves the use of herbicides for silvicultural purposes such as site preparation and the tending of harvested area.”

In the early 90s, through the work undertaken through the Bilateral Process by the Negotiations Unit at Camp Manitou, Teme-Augama Anishnabai were successful in imposing a moratorium for 2 years on the use of chemical spraying on n’Daki Menan. At the time, we had concerted efforts by our staff and OMNRF at the time to look at a Vegetation Management Alternative Program (VMAP) for n’Daki Menan. In fact, we had Vegetation Management Key Working Group Sessions for n’Daki Menan in 1993 and a manual was produced.

As both Michael Paul and Robin Koistinen sit on the Forest Management Planning Teams, they have continued to advocate for no herbicides on n’Daki Menan. Many of our members who have been present at Community Meetings and Teme-Augama Anishnabai Assemblies also know that we have passed resolutions in the past that forbid the use of Herbicide Spraying on n’Daki Menan.

We, at the Lands & Resources Department, have at community meetings, stated that we have exhausted all of the bureaucratic and political processes.

The Community was advised that Herbicide Applications cannot happen if there are people in the blocks during planned sprayed activities. These days are scheduled during the month of August to take advantage of calm days with little wind, so that chemicals can be applied aerially with maximum effect.

It is understood by NMDMNRF that all First Nations along the North Shore, Temagami and Timiskaming, where there are active indigenous communities, chemical spraying is not supported or condoned by our People and our Nations.

There is a Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Elders Group from Garden River and Sagamok who have also been advocating for no chemical spraying.

If you do not want chemicals to be aerially applied on n’Daki Menan, you can make camps or be in the blocks on days where chemicals can be applied.

This year, as we did last year, we have posted information at the Store, the Clinic, the Elders’ Building and at the Lake View Gathering Place to show locations where chemicals will be applied on n’Daki Menan.

It really is now up to the Community on how it wants to prevent chemical spraying. You can prevent this if you are in the blocks on the days they can spray.

Please find below the contacts for each Forestry unit listed below, for further inquiries;

SUDBURY
Matthew Hollands, R.P.F
MNDMNRF
3767 Hwy. 69 South, Suite 5
Sudbury, ON P3G1E7
Tel:705-618-1964
Fax: 705-564-7879
Email: matthew.hollands@ontario.ca
Maegan Ciurko
Vermilion Forest Management Company Ltd.
331 Harrison Drive
Sudbury, ON P3E5E1
Tel: 705-560-6363 ext. 32
Fax: 705-564-7879
Email: mciurko@sudburyforest.com

NORTH BAY
Robert Baker, Management Forester MNDMNRF
875 Gormanville Rd
North Bay ON, P1B 8G3
Tel:705-471-4349
Email: Robert.baker@ontario.ca

Francisco Murphy, Management Forester MNDMNRF
875 Gormanville Rd
North Bay ON, P1B 8G3
Tel: 705-491-5875
Email: Francisco.murphy@ontatio.ca

TIMISKAMING
Ying Hong, Management Forester MNDMNRF
145 Government Rd W, 2nd flr Kirkland Lake, ON P2N2E8
Tel:705-668-0302
Email: ying.hong@ontario.ca