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.
A COVID-19 outbreak in a First Nation in rural Alberta is exposing social inequities that make the spread of the virus quick, and recovery slow, according to doctors and community leaders. Sewepagaham said there are many reasons the virus is spreading quickly, including a lack of health-care staff, boil water advisories and overcrowding of homes. Sewepagaham said the community is constantly on and off boil water advisories, making it difficult for people to stay healthy.
