Protests call for clean drinking water in Indigenous communities - Action News
Home WebMail Sunday, November 10, 2024, 11:39 PM | Calgary | 0.4°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Nova Scotia

Protests call for clean drinking water in Indigenous communities

Wave2Trudeau rally aimed at getting the prime minister to fulfill promise of ending all long-term boil water advisories in First Nations communities within five years.

Wave2Trudeau rally aimed at getting the prime minister to fulfill water promise on reserves

Vada White spoke about her water experiences growing up on a reservation in Ontario. (Nic Meloney/CBC)

It took Vada White four months before her roommates convinced her it was OK to drink the water in Halifax.

"I have always been told not to drink the water.You don't know what it's going to do to you," White said.

White is living in the city while she goes to school, but she grew upin Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Ontario a place where she had to remember to keep her mouth closed in the shower.

'Justin Trudeaumade a promise'

White was one of dozens of people who took part in a protest Saturday in Halifax to remind the prime minister about his promise to end all long-term boil water advisories in First Nations communities within five years.

"Justin Trudeau made a promise in his budget last year to devote a lot of money to installing clean water in these communities and nothing has happened so far," said protest organizer, Katie Douglas.

It was one a year ago that the prime minister committed $2 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure over five years to end boil-water advisories.

'We are paying attention'

In that budget$141.7 million will be spent over five years for testing and monitoring reserves' drinking water and $1.8 billion over the same period of time would go to facility operation and maintenance.

"We're here as voters to let him know that we are paying attention and we have not forgotten and we want to see change," Douglas said.

White said growing up, she got used to the water condition.

'Added factor' concerns

"But since I've been home and when I've come back and bathed in it, I've noticed that I've definitely broken out into skin rashes and you can smell the sulphur in it."

It took her a long time to trust the water in Halifax. She used to buy bottles of water until her roommates convinced her the municipal water was safe.

"In the morning I can go and fill up my coffee pot from the tap and be fine. Whereas at home I would have to go and fill my coffee pot up from the little cooler we have," White said.

"And then showering, I can just hop in. It's great, I don't have to worry about that added factor, right?"

With files from Nic Meloney