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

unsafe water

Iqaluit lifts boil water advisory after 4 days

Iqaluit lifts boil water advisory after 4 days

People in Iqaluit can drink the tap water again, after being advised Friday the water was unsafe due to a "mechanical failure." That's according to a Monday public service announcement from the City of Iqaluit. No further details were offered on the nature of the mechanical failure that led to the advisory. The advisory was at least the third one this year, coming two months after one that stemmed from repairs to a water valve. Before that, the city issued a boil water advisory in January after it detected fuel in its water supply.

Windsor-Essex County Health Unit issues advisory over blue-green algae

Windsor-Essex County Health Unit issues advisory over blue-green algae

The south shores of Lake St. Clair are under a blue-green algae bloom advisory. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit issued the warning on Friday, saying that people should avoid swimming if the water looks cloudy or like "green paint or pea soup." "Infants and young children [under age six] should not swim or play in the water. For adults and children six years of age and older, they should swim with caution and rinse off after swimming," the health unit said in a media release.

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.

Torry: Time to fix water infrastructure in Indigenous communities

Torry: Time to fix water infrastructure in Indigenous communities

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.

Follow us