Compensation ‘good news’, clean water would be better: Shamattawa chief

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This article was published 11/03/2022 (1505 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Federal compensation for First Nations that haven’t had consistent access to clean drinking water is on the horizon, but communities that remain under long-term boil-water advisories are seeking action now.

Eighteen First Nations in Manitoba are eligible for financial compensation as part of a national $8-billion class-action lawsuit settlement agreement.

Three of those are still under boil-water advisories, including one of the lawsuit’s lead plaintiffs, Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake). Mathias Colomb Cree Nation and Shamattawa First Nation are the other two.

Shamattawa Chief Eric Redhead said he hopes the class-action settlement will be a step toward solving other problems caused by a lack of services in First Nations communities and a lack of federal funding to maintain basic infrastructure.

“I’m really happy that the lawsuit took place, because it’s unacceptable for anyone in this country, with the abundance of water that we have, for people to not have access to clean drinking water,” Redhead said Friday.

“The lawsuit holds the government (to) account for that, and the people who have been suffering from that get compensation for that. So it’s good news and I think it’s a long time coming, but I think this lawsuit also opens other doors to lack of services when we look at health care, education, all these underfunded programs.”

Shamattawa’s current boil-water advisory has been in place since December 2018, but water quality has been a problem for decades. Short-term advisories were often implemented off and on, Redhead said.

“This is not just the past three years, this is an issue that’s been ongoing for generations.”

The community of about 1,425 on reserve is scheduled to have its upgraded water treatment plant completed by October.

Previously, residents received trucked-in water from the plant. However, the plant’s equipment was modified with the intention of distributing water throughout the community, without the need for delivery trucks.

The plant wasn’t built for that purpose and water quality didn’t keep up, Redhead said. Some residents have reported skin rashes because of the non-potable water, he added.

On-reserve members of eligible First Nations can receive compensation, and individuals can also apply for compensation under the First Nations drinking water class-action settlement, which was finalized late last year.

Compensation is one step, Redhead said, but people still need clean water: “They’d rather turn a tap and access the clean, drinkable potable water.”

The settlement agreement sets out legal obligations for the federal government to provide clean water to all First Nations into the future.

However, Redhead said, the government has already made so many broken promises about water quality — including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s election campaign pledge to end all long-term boil-water advisories by March 2021 — he doesn’t put much stock in it.

“I’m not holding my breath that this settlement is going to fix the solution down the road,” the chief said. “I hope I’m wrong, but I’m not holding my breath.”

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca