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

reserves

Document highlights feds have no help implementing fire codes on reserves

Document highlights feds have no help implementing fire codes on reserves

Back in February 2022, three people were killed in a house fire in a Northern Manitoba community. Chief David Monias of Pimicikamak Cree Nation says the federal government should provide more funding to First Nations to have the capacity to fight fires, including fire halls, proper running water and better support for firefighters. “Many First Nations don’t have a fire truck even or running water in some cases. To implement a code is really difficult across the board when there are so many concerns on reserve already.”

Sachigo Lake First Nation completes water system upgrades, lifts long-term drinking water advisory

Sachigo Lake First Nation completes water system upgrades, lifts long-term drinking water advisory

First Nations, with support from the Government of Canada, continue to make significant progress in ending long-term drinking water advisories on reserves and building sustainable solutions to support access to safe, clean drinking water. After completing upgrades and expansions to the community's water infrastructure, Sachigo Lake First Nation's Chief and Council recently lifted the long-term drinking water advisory affecting over 500 community members since October 19, 2018.

Cheekbone Beauty makes a toxic lipgloss to call out clean water crisis

Cheekbone Beauty makes a toxic lipgloss to call out clean water crisis

Cheekbone Beauty is using lipgloss to call out lip service paid by federal governments when it comes to providing safe drinking water to Indigenous communities. The fact that reserves, First Nations and Indigenous communities have struggled for access to clean drinking water has been known for years, and fixing the issue has been a focal point of major party platforms in the last three federal elections.

Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively donate to help get clean drinking water on all reserves, buoying U of A effort

Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively donate to help get clean drinking water on all reserves, buoying U of A effort

Hollywood couple Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively donated $500,000 to a Canadian Indigenous clean drinking water initiative, buoying efforts by a group of University of Alberta (U of A) graduate students. The Student Advocates for Public Health (SAPH), a group of U of A grad students, hosted a media availability last week calling for clean drinking water for all Indigenous communities throughout the country. During the media availability, Randal Bell, a member of SAPH, said 43 per cent of all First Nations drinking water systems in Canada are currently labeled as medium to high risk of contamination, with 36 long-term drinking water advisories in effect as of March 14. The goal of the event was to bring awareness to the situation and Bell said seeing high-profile people step up with donations means a lot.

Rama lawyer helps First Nations communities win $8-billion lawsuit

Rama lawyer helps First Nations communities win $8-billion lawsuit

Rama First Nation lawyer Stephanie Willsey has made a big splash on behalf of her fellow Indigenous people. Willsey recently won an $8-billion class-action lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of reserves who have not had access to clean drinking water. Willsey’s legal journey to ensure there is clean drinking water on Canada's reserves started when she joined Mccarthy Tétrault in 2016. The Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute (ODCVI) graduate began working for the Toronto-based firm straight out of law school.

'Should be an alarm bell': Calls for action after fatal fires on First Nations

'Should be an alarm bell': Calls for action after fatal fires on First Nations

Monias Fiddler says time is moving slowly for the Sandy Lake First Nation as the community feels the immense weight from the loss of three children in a house fire last month. Grant Meekis, 9; Remi Meekis, 6; and Wilfred Fiddler, 4, died when their home was engulfed in flames on the Oji-Cree First Nation in northern Ontario. Their parents and three other siblings survived the blaze.

Work is ongoing to end remaining long-term drinking water advisories: Trudeau

Work is ongoing to end remaining long-term drinking water advisories: Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his Liberal government remains committed to ending all long-term drinking water advisories that exist on First Nations, despite not setting a new date to do so. Trudeau discussed the work done up to now on the issue during an address Thursday to a virtual gathering of chiefs with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). To date, he says, the Liberals have helped lift 120 long-term drinking water advisories. A government website reports there are 42 such advisories still in place in 30 different communities.

GOLDSTEIN: Trudeau drops deadline for clean water on all reserves

GOLDSTEIN: Trudeau drops deadline for clean water on all reserves

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau no longer gives a specific date for fulfilling his broken 2015 election promise to end all long-term boil-water advisories on Indigenous reserves and it’s not hard to see why. He broke that promise when he failed to achieve the March 31, 2021 deadline he set for himself. On Monday, Trudeau said his government has eliminated 109 long-term boil advisories since coming to power in 2015 and will finish the job … eventually. Actually, they’ve eliminated 108 long-term advisories, and now have 51 (not 50) outstanding ones. That’s because the feds, as of Monday, hadn’t updated their own website to report the boil-water advisory for Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan has changed from short-term to long-term.

BARRIE-INNISFIL: Q-and-A with NDP candidate Aleesha Gostkowski

BARRIE-INNISFIL: Q-and-A with NDP candidate Aleesha Gostkowski

3. We are a rich country in many ways, but many Indigenous reserves still don't have clean drinking water. The tragedy of residential schools has ripped open the hurt and trauma many of our Indigenous families have felt for generations. Many of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations remain unheeded. How would you address these issues and help heal these wounds? As Jagmeet Singh previously stated, we wouldn't be asking this if it were Toronto or Vancouver that didn't have clean drinking water. The plan is to provide clean drinking water to reserves, there should be no hesitation. It is not enough to just simply provide water treatment plants either, we need to think long term. For example, my cousin lives near Tsiigehtchic, which has a water treatment plant, but every eight months the plant needs maintenance which nobody in the community knows how to do. We should be investing in training operators, preventative maintenance, and upkeep. I understand that there isn’t a blanket solution for clean drinking water on reserves but if we prioritize this issue we can get it done. All people who live in Canada deserve access to clean drinking water.

Quebec City rationing drinking water use after dry, hot August

Quebec City rationing drinking water use after dry, hot August

Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume is asking residents to avoid using the municipality's drinking water on lawns, driveways, or to fill private pools, for at least the next two weeks. At a press conference Tuesday, he said while the territory typically sees about 100 millimetres of rain in August, only 10 millimetres have fallen so far this month. Labeaume said there is less than a month's worth of reserves left, which he called "concerning," and it's expected the current heat warning will stay in place for another few days, exacerbating the situation.

GOLDSTEIN: Despite massive federal spending, unsafe water on many reserves

GOLDSTEIN: Despite massive federal spending, unsafe water on many reserves

The Trudeau government can say, if re-elected, that it’s pouring massive amounts of taxpayer money into Indigenous issues. What Canadians can’t be sure of is to what extent this new spending will improve the lives of Canada’s 1.7 million First Nations, Metis and Inuit people. In her April budget, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, announced a “historic new investment of over $18 billion over the next five years to improve the quality of life and create new opportunities for people living in Indigenous communities.” Spending this fiscal year will be $24.5 billion — 87% above what her budget described as the “historical growth rate” for Indigenous issues. That’s a reference to the 2% annual increase in base funding set by former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien in 1995.

GOLDSTEIN: Tainted water poisons reconciliation with Indigenous Canadians

GOLDSTEIN: Tainted water poisons reconciliation with Indigenous Canadians

In light of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Canada Day message urging us to reflect on our relationship with Canada’s Indigenous people, I’ve been reflecting on why his government can’t get clean water to every Indigenous reserve in Canada, despite spending $24.5 billion on Indigenous issues this year. The lack of clean water on reserves means the people living on them have far higher rates of infections and disease than other Canadians.

Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant Borrowing $60 Million for Renewal Project

Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant Borrowing $60 Million for Renewal Project

City council gave the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant the go-ahead to borrow $60 million to fund its plant renewal project. The plant hasn’t had a major renewal in over 30 years. The project is expected to cost $252.8 million. Recently, the water treatment plant received $163.4 million from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and $29.4 million will come from existing funds that Buffalo Pound has in reserves. The loan principle and interest is expected to be repaid by Buffalo Pound through water rate charges to the cities of Moose Jaw and Regina. Moose Jaw uses about 15 per cent of the water supply.

Government of Canada progress update on improving access to clean water in First Nations communities

Government of Canada progress update on improving access to clean water in First Nations communities

The Government of Canada and First Nations are working in partnership to improve access to clean drinking water and lift all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserves as soon as possible. Today, Indigenous Services Canada provided an update on progress toward clean drinking water in all First Nations communities. As of May 17, 2021, 106 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted. In other words, reliable access to safe drinking water has been restored for 5920 homes and 447 buildings in 77 communities since November 2015.

Ottawa lags on promise to end drinking-water advisories for First Nations

Ottawa lags on promise to end drinking-water advisories for First Nations

Shoal Lake 40 First Nation has been under a drinking-water advisory since 1997. The community’s new water treatment plant, due to come online in the summer, will finally provide safe water. The Trudeau government promised to eliminate all long-term advisories on reserves by March, but dozens still lack access to safe drinking water.

Auditor General urges Feds to resolve clean drinking water issues

Auditor General urges Feds to resolve clean drinking water issues

The Federal Auditor General is speaking out, expressing her disappointment over the unresolved issues of access to clean drinking water on First Nations reserves. “I am very concerned and honestly disheartened that this long standing issue is still not resolved,” said Auditor General Karen Hogan. “Drinking water advisory’s have remained a constant in many communities with almost half outstanding for more than 10 years.”

Lack of funding for piped water on First Nations in Sask. means some on reserves can’t drink from their taps

Lack of funding for piped water on First Nations in Sask. means some on reserves can’t drink from their taps

Rebecca Zagozewski, executive director with the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association, says cisterns can pose health risks to those who rely on them. She says the structures can have cracked lids, which allows all sorts of debris to get into them — including rats, mice, drowned puppies and garbage — and they’re often not cleaned properly. On top of that, she says the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association is concerned that there is no certification program for water truck drivers. The group wants to create such a program where drivers would have to be trained in how to keep the water safe and be held accountable if things go wrong. “Because right now there’s no accountability,” she says.

Family goes without running water to simulate what it's like to live with unsafe tap water as many Indigenous people do

Family goes without running water to simulate what it's like to live with unsafe tap water as many Indigenous people do

Gordie Hanna says the last week highlighted to them that we really do take the convenience of tap water for granted. The Cambridge resident tells 570 NEWS that the other takeaway was "that people shouldn't have to do this in Canada ... anywhere." He figures they went through 130 litres of water in seven days. Hanna says "We didn't realize just how much we use, and how much we enjoy the quick and easy convenience," of turning on the tap and getting warm water for things like doing dishes.

Kelowna man walking across Canada carrying cross for veterans, Indigenous communities

Kelowna man walking across Canada carrying cross for veterans, Indigenous communities

A Kelowna man has walked thousands of kilometres carrying a nine-foot cross across along the Trans-Canada Highway to raise awareness for veterans and First Nations communities without clean water. Warren Parke, from Kelowna, started carrying the cross across Canada after working on a First Nations reserve and was unable to drink the water there. Back in 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also told veterans that they were asking for more than the federal government could afford, which also struck a chord with Parke.

First Nations communities pursue clean drinking water through the courts

First Nations communities pursue clean drinking water through the courts

This time of year, with the temperature plunging below -20 C, a snowmobile and an ice chisel are required tools for anyone in Tataskweyak Cree Nation in need of fresh water. There’s the bottled stuff, trucked into town courtesy of the federal government, but the weekly shipment of 1,500 cases is only sufficient to meet basic consumption needs. For cleaning, cooking and basic hygiene water, many residents need a supplementary source. And rather than use their tainted tap water, they follow a snowmobile trail several kilometres to Assean Lake, pails in hand.

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