Kashechewan crisis confirms water warning.

Ottawa -- The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (the social outreach of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops [CCCB]) launched a campaign called Water: Life Before Profit two years ago. In early October, Development and Peace, the justice and peace organization for eleven churches, announced they were working together this year. They are calling on the Canadian government to ensure that all of the world's people have access to clean water. The campaign chiefly focussed on the international scene, pointing out that one billion people lack access to safe water and proper sanitation, but it also included references to First Nations reserves in Canada.

Archbishop Roger Ebacher, chair of the CCCB's Social Affairs Commission, told a gathering on October 6 that access to clean water is a fundamental right, necessary for the common good and "justice and equality for all."

Canadians have experienced the devastation that occurs when water supplies are polluted. Citizens of the towns of Walkerton, ON and North Battleford, SK experienced death and sicknesses from polluted drinking water. A Cree nation located in Northern Manitoba is having to use bottled water because a provincial hydro development spoiled their water. Many other communities across the countries also are experiencing problems with their drinking water.

Immediately after the press conference, Canadians were shocked to hear about an aboriginal group from the Kashechewan reserve in Northern Ontario. Its members had to be relocated because of the deplorable conditions under which they were living due to unsafe water. The main culprits appear to be the federal Indian Affairs department and the existing regulations which do not allow for private property on the reserves. Consequently houses and schools, and services such as water, constantly appear to be in ran-down conditions.

The pastoral letter points out that Canada opposed a United Nations motion to make access to water for personal and domestic use a human right. There has been increasing pressure within Canada for governments to privatize the management of domestic water services and to export fresh water.

Development and Peace and KAIROS are also running a related campaign, Water: Tap Into It, which encourages people to avoid purchasing bottled water because it undermines confidence in tap water and contributes to privatization of water supplies. It also adds to pollution through decomposing plastic (D. Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News, Oct. 14, 2005).