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.
This year’s winner is Eshani Jha, who is a first-year student at UC Berkeley in California. She won the award for her research on how to remove pollutants from water. In her remarks, Her Royal Highness asked what the world will look like in 25 years. She spoke of how the world is in “an era of innovation. At great speed, science is breaking new ground.” Victoria spoke of how those innovations are opening new opportunities for humanity and the planet.
The NDP MPP for the region with the longest-running boil water advisories of any First Nations in Canada is demanding the Ontario government become part of the solution. Sol Mamakwa, who represents the riding of Kiiwetinoong in northwestern Ontario, said the provincial government could do more to help alleviate the suffering of communities on long-term drinking water advisories.
