Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak are urging MPs across party lines to support legislation to ensure First Nations have clean drinking water in their communities.
The government has put forward a bill that seeks to do just that, and also seeks to protect source-water on First Nations territories.
Hajdu has called it the first piece of truly co-developed legislation between Canada and First Nations 香蕉视频直播� even though some First Nations disagree with that framing.
The bill has been before a House of Commons committee for months, where MPs have heard chiefs and experts raise concerns that the legislation does not go far enough to protect rights. They also question how robust it will be in ensuring their communities receive adequate funding to maintain and operate water treatment plants.
Hajdu pointed the finger at the Opposition for delaying the bill.
香蕉视频直播淚f we continue to see the kinds of obstruction that we香蕉视频直播檙e seeing from the Conservative party, we will be in a place where we won香蕉视频直播檛 be able to finish the debate on this bill and send it to the Senate,香蕉视频直播� Hajdu said after she appeared at the House committee studying the legislation.
香蕉视频直播淯ltimately, we have a race against time here.香蕉视频直播�
In a statement, Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer said that after nine years, 香蕉视频直播渢he NDP-Liberals have broken their promise to ensure that Indigenous Canadians have access to clean drinking water.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭he minister knows that the Indigenous water bill is at committee, which isn香蕉视频直播檛 affected by what is going on in the House. All members of the committee, including the Liberals, have agreed to the committee timetable to address the bill. It appears that the minister is unaware of the status of her own bill, which not entirely surprising given this minister香蕉视频直播檚 track record,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Scheer added that the House can resume its work once the Liberals comply with a Conservative motion related to a demand for the government to provide unredacted documents about misspending at a now-defunct green technology fund. That debate is on its tenth day.
Speaker Greg Fergus ruled on Sept. 26 that there was a case for privilege but that the matter is complicated because the motion calls for the documents to be handed over to the RCMP.
He also said the matter should all be referred to a parliamentary committee for further discussion.
香蕉视频直播淧arliament is frozen because the Liberal government refuses to come clean about their $400 million conflict of interest scandal. The only ones holding things up are the Liberals who can end it all today if they just produced the documents they were lawfully ordered to,香蕉视频直播� Scheer said.
Woodhouse Nepinak said Canada and First Nations must work together to ensure the legislation passes before the next election, calling it the top priority for First Nations.
The next federal election must be held by October 2025, but the minority Parliament is in a precarious state with the Conservatives promising more non-confidence votes to try and bring down the Liberal government this fall.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e hearing the crisis out there loud and clear from First Nations and it香蕉视频直播檚 important that we work together, that First Nations work together and that all members of Parliament are turning the dial on this issue,香蕉视频直播� Woodhouse Nepinak said.
Canada was in court this week defending itself in a class-action lawsuit launched in 2022 by Shamattawa First Nation in northern Manitoba.
That community has been under a boil water advisory since 2018, and is hoping the case will lead to the recognition that the federal government is legally obligated to ensure First Nations have clean drinking water.
A statement of defence from the Attorney General of Canada argues that Canada provides safe drinking water to First Nations on reserve as 香蕉视频直播渁 matter of good governance rather than as a result of a legal duty.香蕉视频直播�
It goes on to say that while Hajdu has said Canada has a commitment to provide safe drinking water to all First Nations members on reserves, it was made 香蕉视频直播渋n a particular context香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渄id not provide a legal opinion.香蕉视频直播�
The acting grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs slammed the government香蕉视频直播檚 defence in a news release this week.
香蕉视频直播淧ointing fingers at First Nations for the entirely predictable consequences of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 failure to provide adequate support is not only shameful but also a violation of the trust our people are trying to develop with the government,香蕉视频直播� Betsy Kennedy said.
香蕉视频直播淭he federal government has acknowledged its role in this crisis publicly, yet in court, they deny any responsibility. This is a clear act of hypocrisy that is unacceptable.香蕉视频直播�
Asked whether she directed Canada香蕉视频直播檚 lawyers to take certain positions in court, Hajdu said she cannot comment on legal matters. But under the proposed legislation, government lawyers would not be able to take those positions in court, she said.
Woodhouse Nepinak told the House of Commons committee Thursday morning distrust that First Nations people have toward the federal government is heightened when government lawyers go to court and say 香蕉视频直播渟tupid things.香蕉视频直播�
Speaking to reporters afterward, she quoted Shamattawa First Nation Chief Jordna Hill, calling the water crisis 香蕉视频直播渁 national embarrassment.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 time that Canada makes this right for First Nations people,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淲e urge you to have all-party support for this as we work through the amendments. Time is crucial.香蕉视频直播�
