Shoal Lake 40 First Nation preparing emergency plan after its lifeline ferry is pulled
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/05/2015 (4150 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
OTTAWA — Federal Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt says the government hasn’t been asked for any help from the Shoal Lake 40 First Nation.
The First Nation declared a state of emergency last week after a federal inspection forced it to pull its ferry out of the water. The ferry moves people to and from the island first nation, and without it residents can’t get groceries, travel to medical appointments or even get clean water.
The first nation has been under a boil water advisory for almost two decades.
NDP MP Carol Hughes asked Valcourt in question period today what the government is doing about the situation.
“Will the minister intervene immediately?” Hughes asked.
Valcourt said the emergency management team from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada has been in constant contact with the community but he said thus far the community hasn’t asked for any help.
“We have had no request from them,” he said.
Shoal Lake is trying to repair the ferry temporarily and will get a second inspection from Transport Canada later this week. Long term, the City of Winnipeg and province of Manitoba are working together on a study about building a permanent, all-weather road to the first nation.
Shoal Lake was cut off from the mainland a century ago with the building of the aqueduct that carries water to Winnipeg.
Shoal Lake 40 Chief Erwin Redsky said the government is aware of the issue and knows there is a state of emergency but the formal request for help has not yet gone in.
Redsky said he is in meetings today where it is hoped a final plan, including the cost, can be developed and submitted to Ottawa by the end of the day.
“They have been aware of our health and safety issues for years,” Redsky said.
He is hoping Ottawa will be ready to help both for the short term and long term fixes, including the building of the all-weather road, known as the Freedom Road.
Redsky said without the ferry “our last lifeline has been cut off.”