First Nations water legislation falls short

Canadians need to pay more taxes in order to ensure everyone has all their basic needs met, says environmentalist Frank Tester, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability.

He asserts that the government of Canada’s introduction of new legislation, the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act, is not accompanied with enough money to make any substantial differences in water quality on reserve.

“We aren’t putting into the system the resources that are needed in order to take care of some very basic needs. Clean drinking water is a very basic need,” said Tester. “Governments don’t have the resources that they should have to do a good job of it.”

On May 25, Canada’s federal government introduced Bill S-11, which is meant to safeguard drinking water in First Nations communities. Clean water for many First Nations communities is something Aboriginal leaders have fought to achieve for decades.

The Bill includes an additional $330 million over the next two years to support First Nations communities. In a press release, the government forecasts that between 2006 and 2012, they will have invested over $2.3 billion in First Nations water and wastewater infrastructure. Regardless, Tester said it is still not enough.

“The money is not a lot given the extent of the problem,” said Tester, who has spent a substantial amount of time working in remote communities in the Arctic.

Tester explained he has worked in communities in Nunavut, where transportation costs are extremely high due to the city’s remoteness. According to Tester, the high costs involved in accomplishing the government’s goals of ensuring clean drinking water for First Nations can only happen if there are less tax cuts.

“This government is in debt. It’s not taking in enough revenue to pay its bills and meet the basic needs of Canadians, and the most pressing needs, as far as I’m concerned, is among Inuit and First Nations,” said Tester.
Chief Paul Sam of Shuswap Band in B.C. is the leader of a community that has been in need of clean drinking water for almost 30 years. Chief Sam, 74, recalled his community noticing poor water quality 28 years ago, two years after he became chief.

Shuswap is one of the seven First Nations communities in B.C. on the high-risk drinking advisory list. Chief Sam explained that the majority of the 200 band members rely on bottled water or are forced to boil the water before they drink it, but there isn’t always enough to go around.

“We have two wells and they pump 15 gallons and we run out of water when everyone showers,” explained Sam.

Over the years, Indian and Northern Affairs of Canada (INAC) has sent representatives to Sam’s community, he said. They spend time and money conducting feasibility studies without fixing the issue, he explained.
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn Atleo released a statement expressing his concern over the new legislation.

“First Nations need infrastructure, training and support to meet the requirements of the new regulations,” said Atleo. “Regulations without the capacity and financial resources to support them will only set up First Nations to fail and to be punished for this.”

Karl Carisse, INAC’s senior director of strategic initiatives, agreed that much more must be done in order to ensure all First Nations communities are set up to successfully access, manage and maintain clean drinking water. However, he said, the proposed bill is the federal government’s first of many steps.

“There are a lot of steps that need to be taken and legislation is a major step,” said Carisse, who works out of the community infrastructure branch in Ottawa.
Carisse referred to the May 2006 implementation of the First Nations water systems operator certification program as a progressive step at preparing communities.
The federally-run program provides First Nations members and organizations with the expertise to manage water treatment plants.

As of March 2010, 49 First Nations water systems were listed as high-risk. In 2006, the list was significantly higher at 193.