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.
The member of parliament for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River is speaking on drinking water problems on First Nations in Canada. Gary Vidal, who also serves as the Conservative Party’s shadow minister and critic for Indigenous Services Canada told MBC Radio News the federal government likes to talk about the number of drinking water advisories which have been lifted, however he explained there are often details which are left out when this is reported.
Residents of some First Nations affected by unsafe drinking water can now file claims under a settlement with the federal government, but the chief of one northwestern Ontario community says they don't support the arrangement. "I just want to say that I'm not in agreement with the settlement," said Roy Moonias, a member of Neskantaga First Nation, which has been under a drinking-water advisory for nearly three decades. "I heard the community say the same thing. They're not in agreement."
After a years-long fight for clean drinking water, Indigenous communities and individuals in Canada are a step closer to receiving money from a class-action lawsuit that was settled with the federal government for $8 billion last year. The claims process under the settlement opened up to submissions on Monday. Indigenous communities now have until Dec. 22 to file their claims, while individuals have until March 7, 2023.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal and provincial governments across Canada are looking for ways to manage any economic hardship. Part of their assorted strategies has been to build new, or repair, existing infrastructure. The federal government now has an opportunity to stimulate the economy, while correcting a heinous historical injustice. It’s time to build the required infrastructure to provide all Indigenous communities in Canada with clean drinking water and reliable sewer systems.
