TORONTO — Seven major Canadian labour unions are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to issue an apology following remarks he made to a woman from Grassy Narrows First Nation who is affected by mercury poisoning.The unions say the Prime Minister responded “I can outlast her” when the woman urged him and Ontario Premier Doug Ford to meet with leaders from Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong Independent Nations outside of a press conference. According to the release, neither leader met with representatives from the communities at the event, and no apology has been issued.The incident has drawn criticism from multiple labour organizations, including the Canadian Labour Congress, Public Service Alliance of Canada, Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario, National Union of Public and General Employees, Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Ontario Nurses Association and Canadian Association of Professional Employees..In separate statements, the unions said the remarks were inappropriate and undermined reconciliation efforts with indigenous communities. Several organizations also called on the Prime Minister and the Ontario government to meet directly with First Nations leadership.The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents more than 180,000 workers, described the comments as “unacceptable” and said they reflect a lack of commitment to addressing the long-standing impacts of mercury contamination in the affected communities.The National Union of Public and General Employees, representing more than 425,000 workers, echoed calls from First Nations chiefs for both an apology and a formal meeting with federal and provincial leaders.The Public Service Alliance of Canada stated that “there is nothing funny about indigenous communities demanding that their rights be respected,” adding that reconciliation requires respect and meaningful action.The calls from labour groups add to earlier demands from First Nations leaders and members of the public for an apology. Advocates have also renewed calls for further federal action to address the mercury crisis in the region, including compensation and environmental remediation measures.Mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows has been linked by experts to serious long-term health effects, including shortened life expectancy. Community members and supporters continue to call for measures to address ongoing environmental concerns and industrial impacts in the area.
