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 Watershed Conditions Statement is in effect from February 14 to February 19. The following watershed conditions statement is based on the seven-day weather forecast issued by Environment Canada on Tuesday, February 14. A period of warm weather is expected for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with freezing temperatures returning on Friday and climbing above zero on the weekend. Five to ten millimeters of rain are also forecasted for Wednesday and Thursday.
Dene National Chief Norman Yakeleya said that the issue of water safety, especially flowing from the oil sands, has been a concern for as long as he has been Chief. In a tele-press conference Yakeleya told media that he is “befuddled as to why an essential service, such as monitoring the quality of the water coming from the oil sands production fields, was suspended.” He said that water is essential for drinking, for fish, for the animals, and “for the sake of all people in the Northwest Territories.”
