A Poison Stronger Than Love

Year Published:  1986
Resource Type:  Book
Cx Number:  CX3159

Abstract: 
A POISON STRONGER THAN LOVE tells of Grassy Narrows an Ojibway village of northwestern Ontario that fell victim to severe mercury pollution form a pulp mill. The mercury in the river poisoned both the village's drinking water and the fish which were its principal source of food and income.

Even more destructive, Shkilnyk says, were the authorities who physically moved the viallge away from its traditional site, which contributed immensely to the destruction of Grassy Narrows. Thus a functioning
community became a place where alcoholism, child abuse, and violence are endemic. From 1974 to 1978 three of four deaths in Grassy Narrows were due to alcohol or drug-induced violence. Disease is rampant.

The people of Grassy Narrows feared the worst would happen if they wre forced to move, and pleaded with government officials to leave their village intact. Their pleas were ignored and they are living with the results.