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| September
29th, 2005 |
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| Chapter
5, 2005 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and
Sustainable Development Ottawa, 29 September 2005-In her Report tabled today in the House of Commons, Johanne Gélinas, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, expresses major concern about the lack of laws and regulations on drinking water in First Nations communities. Currently there are no federal laws or regulations governing the provision of drinking water to residents of these communities. "Most Canadians take it for granted their drinking water is safe," said Ms. Gélinas. "But the nearly half million Canadians living in First Nations communities have no such assurance." In 2001, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada found a significant risk to the quality or safety of drinking water in three quarters of the water systems in First Nations communities. Since the tragic incidents at Walkerton in 2000, most provinces have taken steps to improve the laws and regulations on the quality of drinking water. The federal government has responsibilities for the safety of drinking water in First Nations communities. The audit found that many First Nations communities remain exposed to risks from unsafe drinking water. Aside from the lack of laws and regulations on drinking water in First Nations communities, the technical support available to First Nations, such as training in operations and maintenance, is also inadequate. Unless the federal government takes action on these issues, in co-operation with First Nations, it is unlikely that the First Nations Water Management Strategy, a five-year initiative approved in 2003 with a budget of $600 million, will improve the quality and safety of First Nations drinking water on a continuing basis. The $600 million is in addition to hundreds of millions of dollars invested in recent years. "Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Health Canada should work closely with First Nations to put in place laws and regulations that ensure that First Nations communities have safe drinking water," said Ms. Gélinas. "The current situation is unacceptable." The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development and her audit team are part of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. Her mandate is to audit and report to Parliament and Canadians on significant environmental and sustainable development issues. The chapter "Drinking Water in First Nations Communities" is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada Web site (www.oag-bvg.gc.ca). Information: |
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