OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is apologizing after he sarcastically dismissed demonstrators who paid to attend a Liberal fundraiser in Toronto Wednesday night to voice concern about mercury poisoning at the Grassy Narrows First Nation.

Video from the event, posted on Twitter by the advocacy group Free Grassy, shows a demonstrator interrupting Trudeau during the event by standing in front of him and unfurling a large banner. Someone is heard calling out: “People in Grassy Narrows are suffering from mercury poisoning…You committed to addressing this crisis.”

As the demonstrator is led out of the room by security, Trudeau says: “Thank you very much for your donation tonight. I really appreciate it.”

The comment is met with laughter and applause from people attending the Liberal fundraiser.

Speaking to reporters in Halifax Thursday morning, Trudeau said he was sorry and that the party will refund those who paid to attend the event to raise the issue with the prime minister.

“It is obviously an issue that they feel very, very — take very seriously, and as I know, understand it involved their child possibly,” Trudeau said.

“The situation in Grassy Narrows is one that we have been following for quite a while,” he added, stating his officials will check with Indigenous Services Minister Seamus O’Regan to make sure the government is doing everything it can to resolve the situation in the remote Ontario First Nation.

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“I always try to be respectful…I didn’t do that last night. Last night I lacked respect towards them and I apologize for that,” Trudeau said.

In an emailed statement, Grassy Narrows First Nation Chief Rudy Turtle said he acknowledges Trudeau’s apology but calls on the prime minister to follow through on his government’s commitment in November 2017 to help the community build a new treatment centre for victims of mercury poisoning.

“Trudeau’s apology rings hollow while our people are suffering without the care and support that we need,” Turtle said. “I am calling on him to treat us humanely and to fairly compensate all of our people for the terrible impacts of the ongoing mercury crisis.

Elsewhere Thursday, Trudeau’s jibe at the Liberal fundraiser was greeted with criticism. Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, posted on Twitter that Trudeau’s comments “unacceptable and offensive” and said he should apologize directly to those involved.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters on Parliament Hill Thursday that Trudeau’s comment was “callous.” He called the situation in Grassy Narrows a “horrible tragedy” that should be approached with compassion.

“I think we were all deeply offended by Mr. Trudeau’s remarks,” Singh said. “The fact that Mr. Trudeau didn’t respond with compassion maybe speaks to the fact that he doesn’t actually care about what people are going through, and that’s something that’s really hurtful.”

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The Star has reported extensively on the effects of an industrial mercury dump 50 years ago upstream from Grassy Narrows First Nation, revealing that fish near the community are the most contaminated in the province, that there is mercury-contaminated soil and river sediment at or near the site of the old mill, and the provincial government knew in the 1990s that mercury was visible in soil and never told anyone in Grassy Narrows or nearby Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) Independent Nations.

New research reported in December indicated children in Grassy Narrows whose mothers ate fish at least once a week while pregnant are four times more likely to have a learning disability or nervous system disorder.

People in the community have also developed tremors, slurred speech, impaired hearing and tunnel vision, and lost muscle co-ordination, the Star has reported.

On top of that, the fishing industry in the region has been decimated.

With files from David Bruser

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