Photo: Tony Clarke (left) and Phil Fontaine announcing the release of a new report about access to safe water in aboriginal communities across Canada.


At a press conference in Ottawa yesterday, Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said Canadians would be shocked to learn how bad the drinking water is in aboriginal communities across the country.

"Of the 633 First Nations communities in Canada, approximately 100 operate on a boil water advisory," said Mr. Fontaine.

The Assembly of First Nations, along with the Polaris Institute and the Canadian Labour Congress released a report entitled Boiling Point, which examines the water quality in six First Nations communities across the country.

The report says the situation in these communities has reached a crisis level and notes that one of the communities profiled in the report – Lansdowne House in Ontario – has been under a boil water advisory for 13 years.

The other communities profiled are: Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Que., Pikangikum First Nation, Ont., Fort Chipewyan, Alta., Little Salmon Carmacks, Yukon and Yellow Quill first Nation, Sask.

"I have travelled throughout much of the Third World working on water services and sanitation and I can tell you that in places like Mexico, India or South Africa, that what we see in First Nations communities is very similar to what we have experienced and monitored in those countries, said Tony Clarke, executive director of the Polaris Institute. "We are living with Third World conditions. We are hoping (the report) will be a wake up call for Canadians to rally behind First Nations to demand immediate action to change the situation."

With the birth rate in aboriginal communities more than three times the national average, the need for clean water could not be greater. Mr. Fontaine does not point the finger at any one person, but says there has been gross negligence by successive governments and asks Canadians to join with aboriginal people to ensure they get safe drinking water.

"Our challenge to the government is this: there needs to be adequate financial and human resources to operate and maintain water systems," said Mr. Fontaine.

Because the report focuses on six communities with known problems, it does not show the entire picture.

According to press releases issued by Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Chuck Strahl's office, there have been significant improvements in accessing clean water on First Nations communities.

Of particular note is the fact that the number of high-risk water systems has been reduced from 193 to 85.

Still, it begs the question: what non-aboriginal community would have to put up with a boil water advisory for 13 years?