1. Aboriginal water issues

2. Water representation for first nation people
Water is very important to their value system and must be taken care of
Water is to be RESPECTED
It is considered a living entity
There is a spiritual connection with water
“Give thanks, through a drink of water in the morning, for life”

3. What is the issue?
Aboriginals are struggling to find clean drinkable water as the water from the lakes and rivers where they live is unsanitary
The solutions the Government provides is not sufficient
Out of date water treatment plants that constantly need to be fixed
Excessive chlorine levels that are put in the water to kill bacteria give people rashes
The 2 liters of water everyone gets per day is not enough
They have had no progress in 18 years (in Attawapaskat)
There is no SUSTAINABLE solution being offered that doesn’t require lots of funding

4. Lack of infrastructure
Part of the problem:
Lack of infrastructure
INFRASTRUCURE: The basic physical systems of a nation ;
Transportation (ex; TTC)
Sewage systems
Water systems
Electric systems.
These are costly investments but are necessary to a country’s economic development and prosperity
Where is people, profit, planet in infrastructure?
What parts of infrastructure are they lacking?
Examples from in the article?

5. What is the government doing?
Ask students what they think the gov’t is doing to solve the problem

6. The right to drinkable water- who’s in charge?
This is a Provincial Government issue
First Nation rights are, however, under Federal jurisdiction
Implementing “Band aid” solutions
Bill S-8 is was in Parliament for Drinkable water rights for Native Americans
Bill S8 just passes the responsibility onto provincial responsibility

7. What is a band aid solution?
What is the Band aid solution being applied to the aboriginal water issues?
Temporary solution
Does not actually deal with the problem
Makes people think action is being taken when it’s not
Covering up the problem instead of solving it
Flying in cases of bottled water
Ask students what the gov’t solution actually is based on the article
Where else have you seen band aid solutions? What are some examples?
Using excessive amounts of chlorine to kill diseases in the water

8. What is a boil water advisory?
A notification issued saying you have to boil your water so that it is safe to use
For drinking
For laundry
For showering
Etc.
There is often bacteria or some sort of contamination that will make you sick
What is in the water in Neskantaga, Ontario? (Article)

9. A to do sheet for when you are put under a boil water advisory

10. This is not a priority for the government
They are using band aid solutions that do not work because…
This is not a priority for the government
The Government has applied these solutions so they do not have to spend money on building new treatment plants
The Government is not funding a proper solution
The treatment plants break down easily and need new equipment to change out the sand regularly which takes over a week to get because of accessibility
They send cases of water and put chlorine in the water which are not sustainable solutions
They become concerned when it affects the economy: In the community of Neskantaga, the Government wants to mine chromite for over 150 years but if they do not first build a proper water treatment facility, the same problems will arise

11. Case study- Neskantaga, Attawapiskat
They cannot drink the water from the lake
The community has been on a boil water advisory since 1994
Their water treatment facility is outdated and too expensive to up keep
Their reverse osmosis machine no longer works
The chlorine being put into the water to kill disease is causing rashes
Lets watch the video!...

12. What is an actual solution?
Ask student possible solutions- Real water solutions
Leads into video