Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is frustrated after hearing the federal government is delaying its plan to remove all long-term water advisories in First Nations communities. It comes after a report to a House of Commons committee noted that the government’s initial target of 2021 wasn’t feasible and are pushing that deadline back to 2026 while offering communities temporary measures to ensure tap water is safe to drink.
Ottawa says they’re on track to make their commitment of lifting every long-term drinking water advisory on reserves by March of next year. Since November of 2015, the federal government has lifted 87 advisories. Here in Saskatchewan, there are currently seven long-term drinking water advisories including one on the Little Pine First Nation located approximately 70 kilometres northwest of North Battleford. Two months ago, the drinking water advisory in that community became long-term after being in place for more than 12 months.
