NESKANTAGA FN – The issue of an almost 10,000-day long boil water advisory continues as we are now in day 9393 of that crisis in Neskantaga First Nation in Northern Ontario.
Chief Chris Moonias says that this problem is becoming one of the human rights.
Water is life says, Indigenous elders.
In Neskantaga there is a newly build Elder’s Lodge. Yet there is no safe water for showers, bathing, cleaning… everything must be flown in by air, or brought in during the winter by truck.
Chief Moonias and his community are worried. They had to evacuate last year, and did not, according to the Chief receive the needed support financially to cover the costs.
The Government of Canada has promised to end boil-water advisories in First Nations communities, but reports are that COVID-19 costs and demands are slowing down efforts to keep that promise.
The Chief says there are many things that his council and community would rather be focusing their efforts on, however, without safe water, everything else pales in comparison.
“Fix the plants and we will be quiet,” emplored Chief Moonias in a video interview with reporters on October 19, 2020, in Neskantaga First Nation.