Grassy Narrows demands PM Carney apologize for mercury protest comments

On Thursday, members of the Grassy Narrows First Nation held a press conference in Ottawa demanding an apology from Prime Minister Mark Carney for dismissive comments regarding their ongoing mercury poisoning crisis.

The community in northwestern Ontario has suffered for decades from neurological issues caused by industrial mercury dumped into their river system by a paper mill in the 1960s. Tensions escalated recently when the Prime Minister reportedly criticized a Grassy Narrows protest, leading victims like Chrissy Isaacs to call his remarks a "slap in the face." Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has deflected local calls for action, insisting that addressing the contamination is strictly a federal responsibility.

The NDP is now pushing for an immediate federal cleanup plan as the community awaits a formal response from the Prime Minister’s Office.