PSAC Statement on National Aboriginal Peoples' Day

June 21, 2008

First Nations water reaches its boiling point

PSAC Fact Sheet
National Aboriginal Peoples' Day, June 21, 2008

Imagine turning on the tap in your kitchen and seeing the water run dark brown, staining your sink and emitting a noxious stench. Picture what it would be like to live without indoor toilets or running water. Think about trying to survive with only two litres of bottled water a day for all of your drinking, cooking, bathing and washing needs.

While this image sounds like a description of some of the poorest communities in the Global South, it actually represents how some Aboriginal people are living in Canada today. According to a new report published by the Polaris Institute and the Assembly of First Nations, at least 85 First Nations water systems are considered to be at high risk and there are close to 100 boil water advisories in effect in various First Nations communities.

Boil water advisories, which are often the result of chlorination or disinfection systems not working, are meant to be temporary measures. One community in Neskantaga (Landsdowne House), Ontario has been on a boil water advisory for 13 years.

There is little data on the quality of drinking water in Inuit communities. What we do know is that in the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 34 per cent of Inuit said that there are times of year when their water was contaminated. In Nunavik (northern Quebec), 73 per cent of Inuit stated that their water was contaminated at certain times of the year.

Contamination and despair

The lack of access to clean water in First Nations communities is leading to deprivation, despair and ill health. All this in a country that has more than enough money to ensure than no one has to live under these kinds of conditions.

Perhaps the most infamous Canadian cases of water contamination took place in Walkerton, Ontario in 2000. Seven people died and thousands people became ill, after E. coli bacteria contaminated the town's tap water. The Ontario government took swift action to remedy the problem, and the tragedy was later investigated in a public inquiry.

In 2005, the entire Kashechewan First Nation was evacuated after the local water supply caused impetigo and other skin diseases. The community's plight raised national attention. But on any given day there are at least 100 Aboriginal communities living with drinking water and sewage systems that are at least as problematic – if not much worse – than Kashechewan and Walkerton.

According to Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), “these conditions would not be tolerated in any other municipal setting and if they are to occur, swift and decisive action is the norm and is expected.”

What's the problem?

In 2005, a report by the Commissioner of Environment and Sustainable Development pointed out that reserves – unlike most provinces – do not have regulations or legislation governing drinking water. This observation came 10 years after Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC) and Health Canada warned of the major health and safety risks associated with one quarter of the water systems on reserves.

According to the Polaris Institute and the AFN, much of the blame can be placed on the federal government for improperly installing wells and filtration systems and abandoning any responsibility for maintenance and repairs after the initial installation.

But this is only part of the problem. While $330 million over two years was allocated in the 2008 federal budget to safe drinking water in First Nations communities, the current government backed away from the Kelowna Accord that dedicated $5.1 billion to improving the socioeconomic conditions and access to water for Aboriginal peoples. Even that would have only represented a portion of the resources needed to address the water crisis in First Nations communities. But it would have been a start.

Privatization is not the answer

The absence of federal leadership on First Nations water issues has left poverty-stricken communities vulnerable to the privatization of their water systems. As the Council of Canadians points out, private water companies are aggressively pursuing new “markets” in First Nations communities and the federal government is keen to use public-private partnerships (P3s) as a band aid solution.

PSAC maintains that privatization is not the answer to the water crisis in Aboriginal communities. Residents in Hamilton, Ontario would certainly agree. In 1994, the City of Hamilton contracted out its water and waste water treatment services to the private sector. The private contract was plagued by problems, including sewage spills and complaints from the public that American Water Services made it difficult for people to access basic financial information about the company. In 2004 Hamilton brought water treatment back in house. One year later, management reported increased efficiency, cost-effectiveness and public satisfaction.

Time for action

In recent months, the Canadian government refused to sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Aboriginal Peoples and voted against a UN motion to declare water as a human right, signaling that the First Nations water crisis is clearly not a priority for the politicians in power.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is building a movement to fight back and defend Canada's valuable public services. We believe that the needs of people come first – that the role of government is to protect and promote the social, economic and safety needs of the public, rather than promote profits at any cost.
The federal government must take action now to address the water crisis in First Nations communities.

– Adapted from Boiling Point! Six community profiles of the water crisis facing First Nations within Canada, published by the Polaris Institute, the Assembly of First Nations and the Canadian Labour Congress, with further information from the National Aboriginal Health Organization and the Council of Canadians.

Home Site Map Contact Us Bargaining Search Join Our Union Français

Date Modified : 2008/06/20

Public Service Alliance of Canada | 233, Gilmour Street, Ottawa, ONTARIO CANADA, K2P 0P1, Tel.: 1 888 604-7722 (PSAC) Local: 613-560-4200