Canada’s CBC writes about the country report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to water and sanitation, Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, following his visit to Canada. Arrojo-Agudo is calling for ‘profound changes’ to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ right to safe drinking water is upheld, particularly in the way the federal government provides infrastructure and funding to First Nations.
Among other things, Arrojo-Agudo is urging Canada to publicly recognize the rights of all to safe drinking water, without any type of discrimination, noting Canada presently has no national legal framework to that effect:
“Although legislative advances have been made, significant barriers exist to realizing the human rights of Indigenous Peoples to water and sanitation.”
Chief Troy (Bossman) Knowlton, of Piikani Nation in southern Alberta, said this report puts a welcome international spotlight on long-standing domestic issues. Knowlton said in an interview:
“These concerns from the oil sands and the water contamination, First Nations disease rates that are off the charts in certain areas, they’ve been there. And I think Canada has just become numb to the criticism. They hear it from multiple countries, multiple leaders, multiple environmentalists within our borders and outside our borders. And because they know it’s there, they seemingly just turn a blind eye, hoping that it’ll go away. Having the support is great.”
Arrojo-Agudo says he is deeply concerned, troubled and alarmed by the persistence of long-term boil water advisories, incidents of toxic industrial pollution impacting First Nations and reported repression of human rights defenders who oppose resource development without Indigenous consent.
The official says he found throughout his visit that Indigenous peoples’ right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression “had been breached through criminalization, repression and persecution, which undermined the trust and credibility of the reconciliation process.”
He also notes the devastating psychological impacts tainted water can have, including feelings of depression, isolation, hopelessness and the perception of being a second-class citizen based on one’s Indigenous identity.
