CPTnet
Asubpeeschoseewagong/Kenora: What would you lose if your town were
clear-cut? July 19, 2004

Monday, July 12, three CPTers and nine One World delegation members walked
the 10 kilometre perimeter of a medium-sized clear-cut, but not in the
boreal forest where recent clear-cuts of timberland takes place. Instead,
they walked the distance inside the town of Kenora (pop. 10,000). The goal
in circling the 260 acre urban area with brightly coloured flagging tape
was to demonstrate to Kenorans and tourists present in the city the size
and impact clear-cutting has upon them and Anishinaabe neighbours. In
clear cutting all of the timber within a confined area is harvested and the
land is left desolate.

The group attached ties to telephone poles and fences that outlined the
area of Kenora that could be covered by a medium-sized clear-cut and
carried signs with messages that read, "Respect the spirit of Treaty #3"
and "Don't clear-cut the future". Treaty #3 is the covenant that defines
the framework for native rights in Northwest Ontario. The group engaged
people they passed in conversations while flyers were offered showing a
map of the main area of Kenora covered by the outline of a clear-cut and
the question, If Kenora were clear-cut, what would we lose? The walk
around the perimeter of the area covered by a medium-sized clear-cut lasted
4 hours.

As the walkers passed the office of the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources (MNR), members of the delegation took the opportunity to speak
with area manager, Shawn Stevenson to express concerns about the
destruction of culture and livelihood experienced by the Anishinaabe nation
as a result of clear-cutting practices. The MNR regulates the logging and
other activities that take place in the Anishinaabe traditional land use
area. Last week a Grassy Narrows band member took us to see his
trapline. Eighty percent of it was clear-cut and he has been unable to
trap anything there for the past seven years,explained delegation member,
Dwyer Sullivan. Decision making about where and how Anishinaabe land and
resources will be used is imposed from outside without adequate recognition
of the destruction of the life and culture chosen by Anishinaabe people.

Kenora, the logging and tourist town 100 kilometers south of Grassy Narrows
located on the northern banks of Lake of the Woods, has economic ties to
the Anishinaabe community. Grassy Narrows residents go to town for jobs,
recreation, shopping and other purposes. The Abitibi Consolidated paper
mill in Kenora processes the trees cut from Grassy Narrows traditional
land. Partially due to clear-cutting of the forest, Anishinaabe people
have been far less able, in recent decades, to hunt, fish, trap and collect
medicines and pursue traditional economic endeavors.

"I was surprised by the number of positive responses we received from
Kenorans", said CPTer, Lisa Martens after the walk. "I just hope their
opposition to clear-cutting and cultural genocide will be translating into
action."

One World is an organization designed to provide immersion and learning
opportunities for young people in villages in Africa and Latin
America. Delegation participants were: Krista Harrison (London, ON); Sarah
Shepherd, Bob Holmes, Dean Jalonen and Jim Loney (Toronto, ON); Jenn Geddes
and her one year old son Zachary (Ottawa, ON); and Sheila and Dwyer Sullivan
(Kitchener, ON).

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