Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Prime Minister

Prime minister tells cabinet ministers to concentrate on COVID-19, UNDRIP, clean water and justice

Prime minister tells cabinet ministers to concentrate on COVID-19, UNDRIP, clean water and justice

But he says the pandemic cannot throw everything off course and the letters highlight the need to fight the “existential threat” of climate change and ensure a future where all Canadians have “a real and fair chance at success.” Patty Hajdu, minister of Indigenous Services Canada, already has a number of massive files on her desk, including revamping First Nations child welfare, continuing to build clean water infrastructure in First Nations communities and to “support First Nations-led processes to transition away from the Indian Act.

Trudeau government to introduce update to environmental protection laws

Trudeau government to introduce update to environmental protection laws

The federal government has indicated that it will soon introduce a bill to reform the country’s signature pollution prevention law, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson officially gave notice to the House of Commons of this plan on Thursday night. The bill that Wilkinson plans to introduce is not listed on the House’s agenda for Monday, suggesting that the earliest it could be introduced will be Tuesday. Its contents won’t be public until the bill is tabled in the House. The Liberals promised to “strengthen” CEPA during the last federal election campaign. The government doubled-down on that promise in its speech from the throne last fall, saying it would “modernize” the Act.

Water: Preserving a precious commodity

Water: Preserving a precious commodity

McGill Bioresource Engineering Professor Chandra Madramootoo – a member of the steering committee of the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture – expands on the theme of this year’s World Water Day: Valuing Water, and describes the goals of the federal government’s Canada Water Agency, which is in the process of being created. He is contributing to this effort.

Canadian Rangers deployed to Neskantaga First Nation during water crisis, Miller says

Canadian Rangers deployed to Neskantaga First Nation during water crisis, Miller says

Canadian Rangers were expected to arrive in Neskantaga First Nation on Friday to help the remote community in northern Ontario as it grapples with a water crisis. Much of the First Nation was evacuated earlier in the month after high levels of hydrocarbons -- chemical compounds found in crude oil and coal -- were discovered in the water supply, forcing officials to turn off the pipes.

Trudeau won’t commit to ending boil-water advisories on First Nations by 2021

Trudeau won’t commit to ending boil-water advisories on First Nations by 2021

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to walk back his government’s promise to end all water-boil advisories in First Nations communities by March 2021. Pressed by reporters Friday, Trudeau wouldn’t commit to meeting the 2021 deadline and said the federal government was working to lift the remaining drinking water advisories “as soon as possible.”

‘No child should have to experience not knowing what clean running water is,’ says Autumn Peltier at the United Nations

‘No child should have to experience not knowing what clean running water is,’ says Autumn Peltier at the United Nations

I would like to thank the Global Landscapes Forum and the United Nations General Assembly for having me here today to share my concerns and share why my people have a sacred connection to the water and the lands. I would like to start by sharing that the work I do is in honour of my late Great Auntie Biidaasige-ba. If it weren’t for her lifetime commitment and sacrifices to create the awareness and the sacredness of water, I would not be standing here today. She inspired me to do this work as she was an Elder when she began. I thought about who would keep doing her work one day; I just didn’t expect that day to come as soon as it did. She created the Mother Earth Water Walks. She walked around all the Great Lakes, more than once. She did this because the Elders began to see changes in the lands, medicines, animals and waters.

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