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

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Federal election: If all parties agree that we need to end drinking water advisories in Indigenous communities, why haven’t we?

Federal election: If all parties agree that we need to end drinking water advisories in Indigenous communities, why haven’t we?

While Canada’s overall water quality is among the best globally — in 2016 a small town in British Columbia won gold for best municipal tap water in the world — First Nations have long struggled for access to safe drinking water. From mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows, Attawapiskat’s decades-long battle for safe water, to Shoal Lake 40 and Nesktanga’s battles for clean water, the commitment to solve drinking water for Indigenous communities has long been a statement made by many sitting prime ministers and hopefuls.

Will your vote help to protect the environment?

Will your vote help to protect the environment?

Canadians could be encouraged by the existence of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). When it was enacted in 1999, the legislation was forward-thinking and ambitious. It lay the groundwork for a sustainable society, supported by enforceable regulations to implement some lofty ideals. CEPA makes it possible to protect biodiversity, the quality of drinking water, and human health from hazardous chemicals. It also encourages the sustainable practices of a “circular economy.”

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