The provincial New Democrat Critic for Aboriginal Affairs is looking for some answers over safe drinking water in First Nation communities. France Gelinas says 90 First Nations communities in this province don’t have access to clean water, which is contributing to illnesses in kids.
Gelinas says water is a basic human right, one most of Ontario takes for granted. She says she has asked about a timeline but she gets told it’s a federal responsibility. But, she says infrastructure needs in First Nation communities is an Ontario responsibility, and they don’t need to pass the buck.
Gelinas is asking the government to take some action and fix the issue of untreated water.
Premier Kathleen Wynne agrees it is not acceptable for any Ontarian to not have access to clean drinking water. She says each situation is different, and sometimes it means building infrastructure and sometimes the issues are with the water treatment plants. She says that means they have to work with the feds to see if the issues stem from the transportation of clean water, or the water itself.
However, Wynne does say it is their objective to get clean water to all communities, and they have the technology to do so.