A Chiefs of Ontario media release reports that, “On February 8, 2011, Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples with respect to government Bill S-11, Safe Drinking Water Act for First Nations. The Regional Chief was clear in his presentation to the Senate Committee that First Nations in Ontario strongly oppose the imposition of Bill S-11.”
Regional Chief Toulouse stated, “First Nations are entitled to enjoy safe drinking water from the sacred water sources entrusted to us and to our care and stewardship by the Creator. This right cannot be separated from our right to manage and apply our laws and values to water management… Our opposition to this Bill is a clear indication that we will not accept legislation that disrespects our constitutional and treaty rights and is unilaterally imposed on us. This is an issue of paramount concern to First Nation leadership, as far too many of our communities lack safe drinking water and the infrastructure necessary to deliver safe drinking water. These circumstances are not acceptable and this Bill does not address the situation and is not the way forward.”
The media release highlights that, “The Regional Chief reminded the (Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples) about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the July 2010 United Nations resolution declaring the human right to ‘safe and clean drinking water and sanitation’. This resolution received the support of 122 countries but Canada failed to support the resolution, choosing instead to abstain.”
The Assembly of First Nations has also been highly critical of S-11. They have stated that, “Bill S-11…does not include a plan to reduce the unacceptably high numbers or the duration of First Nations drinking water advisories; does not help to license operators; does not provide resources to improve operations and maintenance; does not lower the number of water and wastewater treatment systems currently at risk; and could negatively impact First Nations water rights.”
The Chiefs of Ontario media release can be read at http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/220677. The AFN statement is at http://www.afn.ca/article.asp?id=4920. A campaign blog on Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow’s December 15, 2010 address to the Special Chiefs Assembly of the Assembly of First Nations is at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=5757.
