How Grassy Narrows got caught up in mining lawsuits

Plus, the search for pediatric ICU beds and concerns about the Ontario Line [Get access now!]( [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on Grassy Narrows’ fight against mining, a child flown 350 km for an ICU bed and concerns about Ontario Line construction. DON’T MISS Randy Risling/The Star star investigation [How Grassy Narrows residents found themselves in the middle of a lawsuit between Canadian mining corporations]( Barrick Gold Corp. was unaware of the importance of the land for Grassy Narrows First Nation when it first signed on to conduct exploratory drilling, the company said in recent court filings, and it doesn’t want to proceed without the support of the affected community. As a result, the two firms Barrick partnered with are trying to terminate their agreement with the company while accusing it of breaching their joint venture. The firms are now facing a $100-million lawsuit from Barrick. Morgan Bocknek breaks down [why Grassy Narrows leaders see the lawsuit as just the latest example of the mess the Ontario government has created in granting mining claims on land the First Nation wants to make an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area](. - More: Grassy Narrows leaders have said they only recently stumbled upon a flood of mining claims issued since 2018 — and are troubled by Ontario appealing to mining prospectors while being slow to investigate and excavate two alleged toxic mercury dump sites. - Watch for: The province must withdraw Grassy Narrows from mining activity to protect the Indigenous territory from the risk of new industrial pollution that could impact future generations’ health, leaders of the First Nation say. Lars Hagberg for The Star health [A four-year-old was flown 350 km for an ICU bed. This is one family’s “terrifying” journey]( Remy was limp and feverish, his hands cold. He lay on a stretcher as monitors strapped to his chest tracked his vital signs and IV lines snaked into his arms, Megan Ogilvie reports. For mom Stephanie Rutherford, calling an ambulance to their Simcoe home and finding out her son was critically ill was hard enough. But Rutherford then had to stomach the fact that Remy would have to be flown 350 kilometres away — past two other childrens’ hospitals where the ICUs were full — to receive care in a pediatric ICU. As more and more children need air ambulances this fall, [take a look into the family’s stressful experience and why being closer to home “would have made all the difference.”]( - More: “It was absolutely terrifying to be on an airplane going somewhere else for care because your child is that sick,” Rutherford said. - By the numbers: In the nine weeks between Oct. 1 and Dec. 2, Ontario’s air ambulance and medical transport service transported more than 544 children under 18. - Go deeper: Ontario’s pediatric health system has for years been underfunded and undersized — and it’s become more apparent than ever. [Here’s how the crisis was made](. Richard Lautens/The Star transit [Metrolinx is under fire from parents for its “scattershot” approach to construction safety at a Toronto school]( The Ontario Line, a 15.6-kilometre subway line set to run from Exhibition Place to the Science Centre, will offer much-needed relief to Toronto’s current overburdened subway system, Lex Harvey reports. But as plans for the transit line accelerate, people across the city are pointing out that trees, homes, businesses and cultural landmarks are being written off as collateral damage. Now, parents at Pape Children’s House, which is along the proposed route, are worried for their childrens’ safety and have yet to see a detailed safety plan from Metrolinx. [These are parents’ concerns as a mistrust grows among the communities affected by the upcoming transit line](. - Wait, what? To make room for the new subway tunnel along Pape, Metrolinx must relocate a storm sewer from Pape Avenue to beneath the school, the transit agency announced in a presentation to parents last month. - Go deeper: In most cases of pushback, Metrolinx has bulldozed ahead, without sufficient consultation or transparency, according to impacted communities. [In a rare win, however, the agency recently reversed course on chopping down trees at a historic grove at Osgoode Hall](. WHAT ELSE Why Toronto and Mississauga are warning that [Doug Ford’s housing bill will make parks more crowded](. Insiders say federal Conservatives are [up against the “Ford factor” in a Mississauga byelection](. With plans for an underground parking lot and the chopping of 850 trees, [the upcoming redevelopment for Ontario Place is alarming critics](. The Constitution was designed to be amended. If Justin Trudeau won’t lead on updating it, [don’t be surprised if the provinces act alone](. With the Sovereignty Act, [Danielle Smith is laying a trap for her political enemies](. The Queen and King streetcars show Toronto [why the subway is the better way](. Marit Stiles is highly capable — [but her uncontested rise to leader of the Ontario NDP is bad for both her and the party](. The ‘60s Scoop stole so much from my family, Alessia Passafiume writes. [Here’s how she’s reclaiming what’s lost](. This 31-year-old is a party animal with a spending problem. [Here’s how he can tackle his $10,000 debt](. UBC scientists have discovered an entirely new branch on the tree of life — [likely to “nibble” their prey to death](. In the Rogers-Shaw merger trial, telecoms are making stunning admissions — [and proving Canada’s current telco policy will lead to monopoly](. Just laid off? [Wait — and consider this before accepting your severance package](. ICYMI R.J. Johnston/The Star [Soaring food prices have changed the way we buy groceries. But at what cost? Check our interactive graphic.]( CLOSE-UP Lance McMillan/The Star SCARBOROUGH: George Mihail, owner of The Real McCoy, stands with his wife Sophie inside his restaurant. Open since 1969, the beloved eatery will soon close as [the plaza in which it’s located is being torn down to make way for a condo](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_158320). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. Become a Star subscriber and save! Best offer of the year: 12 months for $12 [Get This Offer]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](