What a Minority Liberal Government Could Mean for Indigenous Communities
ACCORDING TO THE Government of Canada’s tracking system, there are currently 57 First Nations communities across Canada still living under a boil water advisory (BWA), which means the water is generally not useable for cooking, drinking, or cleaning unless boiled before use. According to a CBC report, between 2004 and 2015, 400 of 618 First Nations have been under a boil water advisory at least once, with 87 BWAs having been lifted since 2015.
As part of their 2015 platform, the Liberal party promised to lift all boil water advisories by 2021. Trudeau promised that they would aid in bringing clean drinking water to Indigenous communities and help facilitate water systems management. Still, their promise meant they were willing to take six long years to resolve an issue surrounding drinking water — something the United Nations refers to as a basic, fundamental human right — while their pipeline policy was fast-tracked in an effort to generate higher profits. In 2015, the Neskantaga Nation of North Western Ontario appealed to the government to have their water crisis addressed, asking the next Prime Minister for aid, as they had been living under a BWA for 20 years. That same day, Justin Trudeau vowed to have all BWAs lifted by 2021. As of yet, the Neskantaga Nation is still living under a boil water advisory. The CBC reported that, when asked about this while visiting Thunder Bay during the recent 2019 election, Prime Minister Trudeau merely stood by his initial promises: all advisories would be lifted by 2021.
Still, their promise meant they were willing to take six long years to resolve an issue surrounding drinking water — something the United Nations refers to as a basic, fundamental human right — while their pipeline policy was fast-tracked in an effort to generate higher profits.
JUMPING TO THE PRESENT, the Liberals have once again promised hope, but this time they have the NDP, Bloc, and Green parties to keep them in check.
Due to their new status as a minority government, the Liberals will now require votes from other parties to support governmental actions. This becomes crucial when parties such as the Greens or NDP could now ask for further assurances on Canadian water quality, recognition of Indigenous rights and freedoms, and a greater effort to combat the current climate crisis, in exchange for their votes. Access to water, action on the climate crisis, and upholding the inherent rights of Indigenous nations are intersectional. They are intertwined and related, for justice for Indigenous peoples also means justice for their traditional lands and the environment. It isn’t the Liberal prerogative to decide when and where these rights — the right to drinking water — get respected. It is the responsibility of the government, regardless of party, to respect the mandate of its citizens and the United Nations, and begin the process of decolonization, for colonialism, formal or informal, is inherently racist and is the antithesis to peace.
An example of the idea of intersectionality was demonstrated by Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party. In a powerful interview in Oct., Mr. Singh outlined the hypocrisy of the government’s actions towards clean drinking water, asking if a water crisis in Vancouver or Toronto would be treated the same as a water crisis elsewhere. Considering their stated policies, and the actions and statements from their leader, the NDP has elevated itself as a party that seeks to defend Indigenous rights, particularly with the election of additional Indigenous MPs to Ottawa, including Leah Gazan and Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, who represent Winnipeg Centre and Nunavut, respectively. It remains to be seen, but I am hopeful that they may actually be able to make waves in parliament. Bandying words during an election is easy; standing up for one’s beliefs on a soapbox is another. I hope that Ms. May and Mr. Singh continue to advocate for justice in parliament and hold Canada and the Liberal government accountable.
For Canada to continue ignoring its own violations of human rights would unfortunately fit with the status quo, as it has yet to meet United Nations standards or adopt the UNDRIP into constitutional law. If the more left-leaning parties are able to hold the government accountable, perhaps Indigenous communities, the environment, and basic human decency, can finally receive the attention they need. Ultimately, this is only possible if citizens put pressure on their MP’s to continue to maintain these promises, and to create action on them in parliament.