Kaila Schuyler (left) and sister Emily, wearing masks because of the smell, join the Oneida First Nation at a protest against the Green Lane landfill on June 3 2013.
Opinion |
The Oneida Nation has suffered the putrid stench of Toronto’s Green Lane landfill for years. Now the city plans to monetize its biogas. The Oneida wants a say
Opinion
Based on the author’s interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events
Kaila Schuyler (left) and sister Emily, wearing masks because of the smell, join the Oneida First Nation at a protest against the Green Lane landfill on June 3 2013.
By Oneida Nation of the Thames Council, Contributor
Oneida Nation Council is made up of representatives elected to serve the needs of Oneida Nation of the Thames community members.
Imagine stepping outside your home and being met with the stench of decay — rotting food, burned plastic, putrid waste — all without your consent. This has been the reality for Oneida Nation of the Thames for nearly two decades when we were forced to become neighbours to Toronto’s massiveÌý.
After almost 20 years of living next to a dump we never wanted, º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøMayor Olivia Chow is not meeting her obligation to consult with us about future changes to the landfill, specifically the renewable natural gas project now underway. We are a sovereign nation and must be an equal part of decisions made about our territory — especially this long-standing injustice.Ìý
For those unfamiliar with the issue, it began back in 2007, when º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøwas running out of room for its trash. No community in Ontario was willing to accept the overflow, so then-Mayor of Toronto, David Miller,ÌýÌýto purchase the privately-owned Green Lane site near London, Ont. Soon after, 2,200 tonnes of º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøtrash — around 55 semi-trucks a day — were being shipped to our backyard.Ìý
Miller refused to consultÌýwith our nation or even inform us that we were about to be to a dumping ground for Canada’s largest city. Despite being the caretakers of this land since time immemorial, we learned that dump trucks were on their way through news reports, not consultation. Since then, approximately 426,000 tonnes of garbage — the weight of nine Titanics — has been dumped just two kilometres from our homes.Ìý
We called for the landfill decision to be reversed until consultations were held, but city officials at the time claimed they had no obligation to consult.ÌýWe had to settle for a small sum in compensation — a few dollars for every tonne of trash dumped on our doorstep without our consent.Ìý
If this had happened to a non-First Nations community, there would be an uproar, just as we saw when the city was first looking for a landfill.
Our people have been paying the price of this injustice for nearly two decades.
In 1840, our ancestors purchased our land — Oneida Nation of the Thames —Ìýwith their own funds for the promise of its pristine waters. We’ve now been on a boil water advisory since 2019, and we don’t even have the data available to confirm the cause. Children can’t play in their backyards during summer days because of the unbearable smells. The value of people’s homes has plummeted. Others have moved away.Ìý
We learned about the new landfill changes not through nation-to-nation consultation, but viaÌý. It turns out that Green Lane emits biogas, a renewable source of energy from the breakdown of organic matter. The city of º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøwants to harness biogas, which could generate a source of sustainable revenue for our people. After suffering the consequences of this landfill for almost 20 years as one of the three nearby nations, Oneida deserves a fair share of any potential benefits.Ìý
Yet again, Toronto’s mayor has not even tried to consult with us. Months have gone by since we first reached out to the mayor’s office to discuss the notice, and there has been no formal invitation to meet directly and discuss the terms with us as a sovereign nation.Ìý
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Oneida is a part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and included in the city of Toronto’sÌý. It’s a requirement of Toronto’s very ownÌýÌýto engage with us.Ìý
It’s time for the mayor to accept responsibility for the negative effects that Green Lane is having and engage Oneida Nation as equals. Oneida territory is governed by the Oneida Nation, and this decision will not be made without us.Ìý
Mayor Chow, our nation is ready to negotiate. We expect to see you at the table.Ìý
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Oneida Nation Council is made up of representatives elected to serve the needs of Oneida Nation of the Thames community members.
Opinion articles are based on the author’s interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
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