SEPTEMBER IN REVIEW
Howdy everyone, I hope you’re all doing well.
Today is September 30th, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. A day when we honour the survivors and the families impacted by the residential school system and reflect on our country's history towards Indigenous communities. I encourage everyone to take some time today, attend a local event, and learn. You can find a list of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation activities on Heritage Canada's website.
This month, we bring you coverage from the Grassy Narrows River Run rally, which was held on Sept. 23 in downtown Toronto to demand justice after nearly 10 tonnes of mercury were discharged upstream from the community and never remediated. Along with an open letter from the Chiefs of Ontario, asking for the respectful return of their Ancestors.
Meanwhile in Southwestern Ontario, Spotted Lanternflies, a devastating invasive species, have been detected in Canada for the first time.
Lastly, I wanted to address a quick housekeeping item, as Ontario will soon be heading to the polls in October to vote in the municipal election. The Field & Shutter Press does not provide endorsements for any candidates. We feel it’s better to remain impartial and editorially neutral.
Until the next one
-Greg
Chiefs of Ontario call for respectful return of First Nations Ancestors
On September 23, the Chiefs of Ontario released an open letter to all Ontarians calling on individuals and institutions to come forward with information about First Nations Ancestors, sacred items, burial belongings and other culturally significant items being held outside their Nations.
The letter, titled “An Open Letter to All Ontarians: Help Us Bring Our Ancestors Home,” was written on behalf of the 133 First Nations in the Ontario region by Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict.
The initiative follows a Chiefs of Ontario resolution calling for the respectful repatriation of First Nations Ancestors, which was passed by the Ontario Chiefs-in-Assembly in June 2025.
In the letter, Regional Chief Benedict explains that “for generations, the resting places of our Ancestors have been disturbed.”
“Their remains and sacred belongings were taken from the earth and from our Nations, sometimes by archaeologists or institutions, and sometimes by private collectors. In every case, these removals caused harm.”
Regional Chief Benedict further wrote that the effects of these removals continue today, disrupting sacred responsibilities, severing spiritual connections and preventing future generations from learning from and carrying forward traditions that have guided First Nations since time immemorial.
The letter makes three main requests:
To private citizens: If you are holding Ancestors or sacred belongings, or have knowledge of Ancestors and/or sacred items being held, we ask that you come forward so they may be returned home to their Nations and families. Your action will help heal the harms of the past and honour the spirits of those who have been kept from their rightful resting places.
To government institutions, museums, and universities: We call upon you to share your complete inventories of Ancestors and sacred or associated burial items with First Nations. Transparency is the first step toward accountability and toward enabling respectful and timely repatriation.
To all institutions and partners: We urge you to work collaboratively and in genuine partnership with First Nations to remove barriers, streamline processes, and ensure the repatriation is carried out with dignity, cultural integrity, and without necessary delay.
The letter concludes by explaining that the Chiefs of Ontario’s goal is not blame “but respectful dialogue and the return of Ancestors and sacred belongings to the Nations to whom they belong.” For those who may be looking to begin the process, they ask you to email repatriation@coo.org
Spotted Lanternfly arrives in Canada, CFIA confirms
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) indicated that on September 15, 2026, the first sighting of Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula, Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) was confirmed in Windsor, Ontario, on its website.
The agency says it has put movement restrictions into place, preventing the movement of regulated materials, which could include any potentially infested plant materials. The CFIA has ongoing surveillance in the nearby area to help determine the extent of the infestation and what the next steps may be.
According to the CFIA’s website, Spotted Lanternfly “can feed on more than 100 species of trees and plants, however, significant impacts from this feeding have only been observed on grapes.” The insect is not from Canada, but is native to Asia.
“If Spotted Lanternfly were to arrive in Canada, Ontario’s $4.4 billion wine industry and $4.2 billion fruit and vegetable crops would both be at risk,” wrote Mandy Ehnes on the Invasive Species Centre’s website, a not-for-profit organization that works to prevent the introduction and spread of high-risk invasive species in Canada.
The CFIA says that if you think you have spotted the lanternfly or its eggs, you should:
take a photo or video
catch the insect or scrape the egg masses and put it into a sealable container
The agency is also encouraging the public to report sightings of another invasive species, a type of tree known as Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), using online apps such as iNaturalist or EDDMapS.
Because Tree of Heaven is a host for the Spotted Lanternfly, the CFIA is targeting these trees to track and contain the invasive pest.
To learn more about either the Spotted Lanternfly or the Tree of Heaven, you can visit the Invasive Species Centre’s website.
THE FIELD & SHUTTER PRESS
FEATURES & INVESTIGATIONS
‘Where is your heart for our children?’: Thousands walk beside Grassy Narrows in fight for justice after mercury poisoning
Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) community members, Wabaseemoong Independent Nation, and thousands of supporters rallied downtown Toronto on September 23, taking their decades-long fight for mercury justice directly to Queen’s Park.
FROM THE ARCHIVE
Let’s Talk Turkey: The Untold Story of Ontario’s Wild Bird Comeback
It started off with a trade. Ontario agreed to provide moose to Michigan, river otters to Missouri and Nebraska, and gray partridge to New York. In return, Ontario would receive Eastern Wild Turkeys.
IN OTHER NEWS
In the “In Other News” section, we’ll share interesting updates and discoveries from the past month. Expect highlights on photography, nature, wildlife, conservation, and environmental topics.
Something is killing Bald Eagles in Northwestern Ontario (TBNewswatch)
Published on: 01/SEPT/2026
A local bird rescuer is sounding the alarm after several eagles have turned up with possible lead poisoning or West Nile virus infections. Click here to read more
Pickering nuclear generators taken offline (The Narwhal)
Published on: 21/SEPT/2026
The plant, which produces 10% of Ontario’s power supply, will be taken offline for 5-7 years and temporarily replaced largely by natural gas, while the plant is refurbished. Click here to read more
Seniors arrested at Parliament Hill during climate protest (CTV News)
Published on: 22/SEPT/2026
11 seniors were arrested on Sept. 22 for trespassing during a climate protest taking place in Ottawa, while wearing yellow shirts and photos of their grandkids. Click here to read more
Thousands protest PM Mark Carney’s Toronto investment summit (On The Trail)
Published on: 19/SEPT/2026
On Sept. 14, thousands protested Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Investment Summit in Toronto. Some demonstrators accused the government of “selling off” Canada to investors. Click here to read more
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