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.

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.