Government Involvement

So how is the Canadian government involved in this environmental justice issue? Well, from what I understand water policy is determined by province or territory, not unlike our own laws in the United States in which each state "adopts goals or standards that need to be met for its waters" (EPA http://water.epa.gov/learn/resources/quality.cfm).  However, there are exceptions to the scope of provincial regulation as "federal lands, boundary and transboundary waters, ocean and inland fisheries, and commercial navigation"are under the federal government's jurisdiction.  

So what does this all mean?  Where do first nations fall under these regulations and who is responsible for ensuring that they have access to one of the basic needs of life?  Well, along with the territorial government's regulations and advisories, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) and Health Canada are example of agencies who are supposedly leading the efforts for these aboriginal tribes. 

However, because these populations are so small in comparison to tribes that live within the city, the government often neglects these areas and hopes that the problem simply goes away. With no established water quality regulations on reserves, these government agencies aren't held accountable for the health and safely of these first nation people.  This was evident in the Kashechewan water facility disaster in 2005, in which the neglect of the facility resulted in the evacuation of over 1000 people, roughly half of the population of the town, and contaminated the water with E. Coli and unstable chlorine levels.  

This event is the poster child for government neglect in regards to water on first nation lands, as explained by Charlie Angus, a Canadian Politician:

Angus explains that Health Canada addresses water quality issues by simply telling first nation tribes to boil their water, and then putting the area on advisory.  Rather than spending the money to update these facilities or to employ properly trained workers, the government allows these vulnerable populations to go months and even years with tainted water.  According to Angus, roughly "39% of first nation communities in Canada are high risk...and 34% are at medium risk" of water contamination.  

While the Canadian government is aware of water quality issues on first nation lands, they are reluctant to put forward the estimated $4.7 billion dollars "over 10 years to bring First Nations up to the standards enjoyed by other Canadians" (National Engineering Assessment).