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.
It says inadequate access to clean drinking water continues to pose a major health threat which continues to impede the advancement of Indigenous rights in Canada, "one of the world's most water-rich countries." The report also says Canada is a top G7 greenhouse gas emitter, and says it is the world's top financier of fossil fuel producers. "Canada is contributing to the climate crisis taking a growing toll on human rights around the globe," the report says.
A Thompson Rivers University law professor and her former students are at the centre of a legal battle with the Canadian government over redacted information detailing its involvement in alleged human rights abuses in Guatemala. After six years — during which time students who worked on the case have since graduated — online hearings are now underway.
Where would we be without water to drink, to wash and cook with, and to keep us healthy and alive? Water is essential. But as we mark another World Water Day, many First Nations communities in Canada still don’t have access to safe water. Five years ago today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a commitment of $1.8 billion over five years to address the water crisis so First Nations wouldn’t need to boil water to make it drinkable, rely on bottled water, or evacuate their communities because their water is unsafe to use.
