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.
An N.W.T. MLA is pleading with the territory's infrastructure minister to dredge the Hay River harbour. Rocky Simpson, who represents Hay River South, said the process of removing silt and mud from the bottom of bodies of water is essential for the safety and navigation of vessels — which resupply communities, ship construction materials, and carry out search and rescue missions, among other things.
Josie Osborne seems careful with her words as she talks about her new job. The former mayor of Tofino, turned MLA, is heading up the new B.C. Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship and is the minister responsible for fisheries. But through her political composure are glimpses of a lifestyle associated with the little west coast community on Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation territory — she lives on ten acres with her husband, dog, three goats and chickens and works out of a brightly coloured tiny house office.
On the campaign trail ahead of Nunavut's territorial election, Iqaluit-Manirajak MLA Adam Arreak Lightstone took aim at the territorial government's response to Iqaluit's water crisis. "I'd like to ask all my fellow Iqalummiut, MLAs, candidates, to join me in supporting the creation of a special standing committee with the objective of reviewing the government's roles and responsibilities and overall response to the water crisis that we're all in," he said at an all-candidates forum at the Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre on Oct. 18.
