The Search Committee is responsible to:
Meetings of the Search Committee are held semi-annually and additionally as needed at a location convenient to all involved with the consent of all involved.
The Mercury Disability Board is a non-profit, legislation and community based organization.
The purpose of the Mercury Disability Board is to implement the terms of the settlement arising out of the contamination by mercury and other pollutants of the English and Wabigoon and related river systems per the Memorandum of Agreement signed in November 1985 and the Mercury Contamination Settlement Act assented to in July of 1986. Per the legislation, an independent Administrator of the Fund was to be appointed. Said Administrator is the Great West Life Assurance Company. The Administrator is to manage the Fund in accordance with the “Plan Document” which delineates the responsibilities of the Administrator. The document is also a service agreement between the Board and the Administrator and contains schedules the prescribed criteria with respect to award eligibility and levels. The Board supervises the administration of the Mercury Disability Fund and makes or supervises the making of mercury disability awards, pursuant to the Act. The Board also hears appeals of applications that have been denied and also appeals concerning the level of awards.
Meetings of the Board are held quarterly at a location convenient to all involved with the consent of all involved.
The Board consists of seven members composed of a Chairman, one member from each affiliated first nation, two duly qualified physicians and two members who are not representatives of the above noted groups.
Eligibility to Apply for Benefits
For a person to be eligible to apply for benefits (per legislation), that person must be a current member of Grassy Narrows First Nation or Wabaseemoong Independent Nations; a past member of one of the two bands; or a registered Indian who was customarily resident on one the two first nation communities prior to the first day of October 1985
Did You Know…
that since inception to March 31, 2018 the Mercury Disability Board has processed 1121 initial applications for benefits.