Our Lost and Forgotten Citizens

Over the last few weeks, most Canadians have heard, probably for the first time, the deplorable living conditions that our First Nations people have had to endure for years. The fact that their living conditions are similar to Third World existence is inexcusable. The fact that anyone in Canada has to live with contaminated drinking water should enrage every single citizien of Canada. Yet, for years, people living on the reservations, in Ontario, have had to live with these third world conditions. Our government has failed to provide any viable solution, and sweeps the many issues facing the First Nations People under the rug, sort to speak. Really, how can we say we are a first world country when we have thousands of Canadians living with no running or clean drinking water?

In the Six Nations newspaper, Turtle Island News on November 9, 2005 reports of the same living conditions that have created a whole community up North to be evacuated are happening just an hour away. ONE HOUR, our neighbor's are living with 80% of their well water supply being contaminated with Ecoli or coliform bacteria, 312 homes are without running water, sodium levels are five times higher than the standards set by the environment ministry (Turtle News, p.2). This water study was done on March 4, 2004 and yet NOTHING has been done.

Turtle Island News reported that Councilor Dave Hill wants to see a lobby effort launched. The Six Nation water treatment plant is over 20 years old and MUST be replaced. Do we have to evacuate all reservations before we start supporting our First Nation communities? There is no excuse for our Provincial and Federal government to let this situation remain in our country. Band-aid solutions do not fix the problem; they only let the contamination fester.

Charity begins at home, and having clean drinking water should not be considered by any means a luxury. This problem will not go away unless we all take an active role in ensuring that the government provides the necessary funds to change the reservation water situation. Writing our MPP and MP is only a start but it is a powerful start.