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.
If there's one theme that has emerged, Wallace said, it's that people don't want a coal policy that only deals with the how and where of mining. They want a broad policy that balances economic, environmental and recreational needs over an entire landscape. "While our terms of reference are clearly focused on a modernized coal policy, we are recognizing that any factors that are going into that modernization are going to have to take account of these broader issues," he said.
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller today recommitted the federal government to its goal of lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on First Nations reserves — but didn't offer a timeline for completing the work. With 58 active advisories remaining in 38 communities, the Liberals will miss a self-imposed deadline this month for lifting all long-term advisories. Miller said today that ensuring access to clean tap water for all First Nations communities remains a top government priority.
As part of its efforts toward “reconciliation” with First Nations, the Canadian government has long heralded the significance of March 2021 as the month when it would deliver clean water infrastructure to all First Nations reserves. On Wednesday, it revised that promise. North Caribou First Nation in present day Ontario, Canada, is one of 38 First Nations communities the Canadian government says is still without a reliable supply of clean drinking water. The 800-member community has been on boil water notices off and on for decades. Yet Canada just added North Caribou to its official tally of First Nations reserves still in need of clean water on March 3.
