Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

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.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Jagmeet Singh

NDP Statement on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

NDP Statement on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Despite tireless advocacy, the federal government is still denying Indigenous communities much of the funding they have requested for discovering the remains at former residential schools and healing programs. Across the country, there are still 32 long-term boil water advisories in effect in 28 communities, and at least 45 short-term drinking waters advisories in Indigenous communities. More troubling, as Indigenous women and girls face an ongoing genocide, the government has failed to build new shelters to help Indigenous women and gender-diverse people and children flee violence.

NDP prepared to withhold votes in Parliament, including on the Liberal budget: Singh

NDP prepared to withhold votes in Parliament, including on the Liberal budget: Singh

The "concrete action" Singh is demanding includes guaranteed paid sick leave for workers and a halt to clawbacks of financial supports for low-income pensioners who collected pandemic benefits. Ensuring Indigenous communities have clean, safe drinking water is another priority.

Jagmeet Singh to prioritize Indigenous rights during NDP caucus meeting

Jagmeet Singh to prioritize Indigenous rights during NDP caucus meeting

Jagmeet Singh is to tell the first meeting of the NDP caucus that pursuing Indigenous rights including access to clean drinking water will be a key priority for the party in this Parliament. The first meeting of all New Democrat MPs since the election will take place in Ottawa on Wednesday afternoon. Five new MPs will be introduced at the caucus meeting, including Blake Desjarlais, a two-spirit Metis leader, who defeated the sitting Tory in Edmonton Griesbach. The NDP returned 25 MPs one more than last time and was the only major party to increase its share of the vote.

'Empty promises' slammed

'Empty promises' slammed

Jagmeet Singh is focusing on what he’s calling Justin Trudeau’s empty promises as the New Democratic Party leader travels in northern Ontario to start the last week of campaigning. Singh says, for a government, it’s not what you say that matters, it’s what you do. The NDP leader will later be campaigning in Neskantaga First Nation, which had a boil water advisory issued more than 25 years ago. Trudeau promised in 2015 to lift all drinking water advisories by this March, but his government has since acknowledged it would not meet that goal.

Promise tracker: What the parties are pitching on the campaign trail

Promise tracker: What the parties are pitching on the campaign trail

Invest $1 billion over 10 years to restore and protect large lakes and river systems. Establish and fully fund a Canada Water Agency. Invest $37.5 million over six years for freshwater research at the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Experimental Lakes Area.

Singh hopes to build momentum on tour of Indigenous communities

Singh hopes to build momentum on tour of Indigenous communities

When the evacuation of Neskantaga First Nation due to tainted water made international headlines last fall, then-chief Chris Moonias encouraged the prime minister and other federal politicians to visit the remote northwestern Ontario community to see for themselves how people live under Canada's longest on-reserve boil water advisory. On Monday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh became the first federal leader to take up Moonias's invitation during a tour of Indigenous communities.

Green, NDP leaders slam Liberals' 'failed approach' on climate goals

Green, NDP leaders slam Liberals' 'failed approach' on climate goals

The Liberal government’s claims that Canada has turned the corner on rising greenhouse gas emissions are drawing fire from opposition leaders who remain unconvinced. Since the Paris Agreement was signed, Canada’s emissions have climbed 3.3 per cent as of 2019, but the Department of Environment and Climate Change says that will be a high water mark. The figures showing Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission performance were released in a study earlier this week that found overall GHG emissions were down 1.2 per cent since 2005, but up a sharp 3.3 per cent since 2016. “We're confident we're now on track to be bending that curve and our department has told us we can confidently say that as of next year, when we see 2020 emissions… they will be going down year after year,” said Moira Kelly, press secretary for Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.

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