Anishinaabe communities feel 'kept in the dark' about arsenic emissions from Horne Smelter

Steve Mathias has a lot of questions about the impact of the Horne Smelter on surrounding Anishinaabe communities.

The former chief of Long Point First Nation questions how far the western Quebec copper smelter's emissions spread across the territory.

And he wonders if his people can safely eat the meat hunted on the land, and consume collected plants and berries.

His overarching question: "[Is it] harmful to the health of our people?"

He's yet to hear a satisfying answer.

Mathias is a spokesperson for the Chiefs and Councils of Long Point First Nation, Kebaowek First Nation and Timiskaming First Nation on this issue.

Last week, their leaders in the Abitibi issued a press release on the need for their communities to be consulted when it comes to the future of the smelter.

They say there isn't enough communication between them, the province and the smelter as they face a possible threat to their traditional ways of life.

Built in 1926 and owned by Glencore Canada, the smelter has been making headlines due to arsenic emissions that are 33 times the provincial standard.

The smelter is exempted from following that standard — Quebec allows it to instead take a gradual approach to reducing emissions.

In June, a study by Quebec's institute of public health (INSPQ) confirmed higher rates of cancer and pulmonary diseases in the city of Rouyn-Noranda are directly linked to high arsenic and cadmium emissions from the nearby smelter.

These findings are part of what inspired the Anishinaabe communities to act, says Mathias.

Grand Chief of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation, Savanna McGregor, as well as chiefs from Long Point First Nation, Kebaowek First Nation and Timiskaming First Nation, have written to Premier François Legault, asking the province to act.

Mathias says communities have been getting mixed signals. While some were issued health advisories, others — closer to the smelter — were not.