Reserves Will Have Clean Water, Finally!

The Kashechewan story is profoundly troubling. How can anybody
trust federal bureaucrats so deaf to humanity that they were
capable of disregarding the elders' advice, so blind that they could
ignore the high ground, and so dumb that they persisted in
situating the village, its sewage and water supply, BELOW sea
level?

"We'll rebuild everything! Whatever it takes, we'll do!" says the
avidly vote-hungry p.m. Heartless, heartless liar.

They've double-crossed Kashechewan already by telling the
people they were coming to hotels and motels ... telling them that
they were coming to a new life in a new village ... and in the end,
dumping everybody in a heap in a gymnasium near Sudbury.

Dignity and self-esteem are as important as clean drinking water.
My heart aches for the evacuees and I keep wondering what we
can do, to make things right. Letting those damn dumb
bureaucrats get their hands on Billion$$s again, just isn't the
answer. But what is?

BC Mary, I too am very troubled by this, and sure it's good that they are going to address it now, but why did it take so long? Why did Health Canada not act long ago? This isn't the only reserve with contaminated water, so why happening?

The other part is just because they say they are going to address it under the microscope of media, we will have to keep on them to make sure it is addressed.

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If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?

Hans Peterson, Executive Director of the Safe Drinking Water Foundation, when asked to comment on the safety of drinking water in first nation communities in Saskachewan is quoted in the October 28th Regina Leader Post as saying, "If anything the Native situation in Saskatchewan is better than the (caucasian) situation."

It makes me wonder how a federal department, with presumably consistent policy and funding formulae, can end up with such drastically different outcomes in different parts of the country. Perhaps there is more to the story in Kashechewan than is currently being reported?

Anon in Sask

Action is the answer!

The issues pileup layer upon layer upon layer ad-infinitum until they become over whelming, Corrupt Justice, government bullying, Banks, Homelessness, crime, illicit drugs, corporate ownership of democracy, ill-informed electorate, Multi-issues, special interest groups, Corporate lobbying…


I see no relief to any of this until there is a mass awakening.
CAP has extended offers and calls for a citizens party but does one hear of mass membership subscriptions?
One does not!
The call for participation goes unheeded!
A new issue pops up! Yup Just pops up!
But where are the citizens groups looking to where these and other things pop up from?

I have proposed citizen shadow parliaments to hold those accountable who we elect and pay
I do again
The choice is really quite simple either: action or more of the same!


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"The cost to the good people for their indifference to their public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato
I don't make jokes. I just watch the governmen

What this article doesn't address is what the source of drinking water for most of these communities is. If they are dependent on well water since a lot of reserves are in relatively remote locations, then the responsibility for it being contaminated is laid directly at their own feet. There are also far less expensive methods of purifying ground water than building costly waste water treatment plants. For example there are systems that make use of plants and there is another one that uses anaerobic waste (added benefit of producing energy). These would be far more practical for the small communities in which Natives generally live. Perhaps the people like those in the article who are requesting the funds for a new school should start thinking about getting some of their own people university educated so they can start looking after their own interests in these matters instead of being forever dependent on Indian Affairs to look out for them.

The rather subtle and not so subtle racism of Vive commentators leaves me a bit speechless. At the least these commentators so quick to blame Aboriginal people should read up on the history of Canada and learn why the Indian Affairs department exists in the first place, and stop blaming the colonized for their colonization. It seems any issue related Aboriginal people draws out the worst in some readers.

We can all probably cite misdeeds done to the natives. The shoe is not just on one foot. There is a battle in my area on Vancouver island between natives and locals. The band up here is insistant on building a community where water supply is limited (Wells have to be drilled) and sewage containment. (Septic fields only) The private home owners in that area, are apprehensive over the development for obvious concerns. 1400 new homes will take it's toll. So far the government has offered a waste management so the affluent can be cleaned and dumped in the nearby ocean. The water issue has not been addressed and the concern of a lodge on the waterfront where the (cleaned) sewer will be dumped.

First point: The land was offered for recreational use to the local band.

Second point: The land use has been changed by the natives.

Third Point: The government has only accepted the change of land use (rural area) if the two specific items are addressed. At a huge expense the sewer treatment plant can be built. Because of the geography it would be unfeasible to pipe water in.

Fourth: The locals. Ocean front real estate is a prime value. Lack of potable water would lower value on any property. The choice to live in a rural area excludes the exceptance of 1400 homes concentrated in the area.

The natives own the property. Should they not be expected to use it as designated? Is the government obligated to suppliment the cost and approval to the changes made to the local community plan? Why are the local home owners targeted as being bigoted by the natives?

It's hardly racist to ask that people start to take steps to support themselves instead of demanding to go through life with a crutch and then complain that they can't run. It would be racist if Natives were singled out whereas this goes for everyone in our society. It so happens that this article is about Natives and that is why the comment is about them so please use a little discretion in your accusations. If after making effort then someone has a legitimate need for help. Natives have been (and still are) offered more help and means to help themselves than any other group in our society, it's time they took advantage of it.

Quote "Natives have been (and still are) offered more help and means to help themselves than any other group in our society, it's time they took advantage of it."

This is so true. For a group that is adament about not paying taxes it seems pretty hypocritical to be constantly demanded that the rest of the hard working world should come and donate more to them. They already have a free pass through life via free housing, free university inc. a nice living allowance etc. They don't have to live on a reserve but they do because it a freebie. I don't see how they can take this freebie and then constantly whine how it's not good enough for them. If they don't like it then go move somewhere else.

The racism is not quite so latent now, it's good to see the old biases come out from the woodwork.

The irony is of course that the natives, like sovereigntists, DONT WANT any of those things from "Canada". They want what by any other sytem of rights IS theirs, which is their LAND. And control of thier own affairs. If I came into your house and took over your life, told you how to run your affairs, regulated every miniscule aspect of your life (far more than is done in 'our' society), wouldn't let you use your backyard for anything you wanted, etc.

Notice how natives as a culture refuse post secondary education-and actually it isn't 'free' its just paid for by Department of Indian Affairs and is subtracted from other income, just like secondary education. There are very few natives who go through the university system, because unlike us they know what is important in life-it isn't a six figure income in an indoctrinated job, it's family, friends, and life close to nature.

In case you missed the article the water system was designed and built over native protests. The water system was built RIGHT NEXT to the sewage system by the federal government.

As mentioned, it would be very simple to provide water in such a community, unfortunately the community CANT because the department of indain affairs makes those decisions. If this happened in Palestine we'd be accusing Israel of genocide, forcibly moving people from their home.

So for all the self righteous whiteys out there, stop giving natives handouts, give them JUSTICE, give them their freaking land, instead of the 3% of the country they are currently 'allocated', while the courts drag through decade after decade of putting off treaty rights. For those who are suddenly seeing more rights granted to natives and them actually using them, don't be surprised if they aren't the friendliest of neighbours-you think feeding somebody a twinkie each day and robbing them of their livelihood is a favour?

Of course you can't expect justice for racists, you can expect what you always get-condemnation of the damn complainers. How dare they complain about their poisoned water that the government inflicted on them and refused to repair, how dare they complain about residential schools, corporations being allowed to poison their waterways, governments refusing to enact their own legislation to punish companies which cut on native land, clearcut all the land that surrounds them, wipes out their food supply. fHow dare they get uppity when we need a new golf course. Surprise surprise, a white saskatchewan official claims natives are even better off than white folks. Yes, I'm sure that's the case, everybody knows that reserves were placed strategically on top of the 'magic watering holes' which provides pure pristine water, oh, and food instantly appears on the trees and livin is easy down on the cotton fields.

The City of North Battleford had water borne problems because their water intake was downstream of the sewage outflow. Dozens of towns and villages in rural areas are on boil water for years because they don't have funding to upgrade water treatment. Feds sure as hell dont' come bearing checks for them.

The ultimate responsibility for water quality lies with the people in charge of the facility. Remember the criminal charges laid at Walkerton?