World Health Organization said in 2015 that there is a cancer risk associated with glyphosate exposure

CBC Indigenous: A spill of concentrated herbicide on the homeland of Teme-Augama Anishnabai and Temagami First Nation is spurring leaders to declare a ban on aerial herbicide spraying used in forestry practices on their territory.

Temagami First Nation said that on Sept. 10, a truck carrying Glysil concentrate, a glyphosate formulation, overturned on Eagle Lake Road, spilling 600 litres into a ditch.

Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide used to kill weeds and grasses and is used in forestry management.

Health Canada has concluded glyphosate is safe for humans in very small amounts, but that is controversial given the World Health Organization said in 2015 that there is a cancer risk associated with glyphosate exposure.

A spokesperson for the Ontario environment ministry said Apex Helicopters currently holds the herbicide licence for the application of glyphosate in the area and was responsible for the product at the time of the spill.

But First Nations leadership say the spill is “the last straw”.

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In a press release declaring their opposition to the use of the chemical, Temagami First Nation Chief Shelly Moore-Frappier said they’ve long been worried about the health and environmental impact of the controversial herbicide. 

“The practice of aerial spraying of herbicides in our homeland has caused great emotional and financial injury to us,” she wrote. “Additionally, there are significant concerns regarding the health risks posed by potential exposure to contaminated water, plants, and wildlife.”

The ministry’s Gary Wheeler said clean-up efforts have begun, and Apex has retained a third-party environmental consultant to sample the impacted area and confirm when the clean-up is complete.

Contaminated samples are being taken to Sudbury for safe disposal.

Impact of herbicide spill still being investigated

Wheeler said the ministry expects a full restoration to the natural environment and will ensure the clean-up meets expectations.

Teme-Augama Anishnabai and Temagami First Nation have mobilized their own community guardians to conduct soil sampling and testing to assess the extent of the contamination from the spill.

Together, the political organizations say they are asserting their stewardship over their homeland, they call N’dakimenan, in declaring a ban on aerial spraying.

The territory covers about 10,000 square kilometres, a geographical area that falls under the management of the Crown corporation, the Temagami Forest Management Corporation (TFMC) and makes up more than half of it.

Teme-Augama Anishnabai second Chief John Turner said the lives and culture of citizens are tied to the land noting they can’t harvest for periods of time after spraying has taken place.

“We are tired of having to continually dodge and relocate our cultural activities to evade this unnatural scourge from the sky,” he said in the press release. 

“The forest is and has always been, our garden, our park, our schoolyard, our medicine cabinet, our home—we too are concerned for the health of our children, but we understand that their health is inextricably linked to the health of the living environment that cultivates them.” 

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The general manager of the Temagami Forest Management Corporation, Mark Stevens said there’s no doubt the spill on Eagle Lake Road has damaged the corporation’s relationship with the Teme-Augama Anishnabai and Temagami First Nation, but he hopes they can overcome their differences.

He said there have been efforts to reduce the use of herbicides such as hand-cutting brush that can only be done on a small scale.

He said they have yet to sit down to discuss ways to address a ban on aerial spraying in the future, but remains committed to working with First Nations and communities to find a new path to success.

About the Author: Kate Rutherford, Reporter/Editor

Kate Rutherford is a CBC newsreader and reporter in Sudbury. News tips can be sent to sudburynews@cbc.ca