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Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Here We Stand': River journey protests controversial bills
A 20-year-old university student from Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario is putting his summer on hold — to take a 400-kilometre boat journey in protest against new provincial and federal bills he says threaten his people's land, culture and way of life. Jeronimo Kataquapit is leading a grassroots movement called 'Here We Stand,' a direct response to Ontario's recently passed Bill 5 and the proposed federal Bill C-5 — pieces of legislation that, according to Indigenous leaders, accelerate mining and development in the Ring of Fire region without proper Indigenous consultation. Kataquapit's journey, which began Monday from Attawapiskat, is a physical reassertion of Indigenous presence and inherent rights in a territory he argues is wrongly portrayed as uninhabited. 'One of the general opinions I hear is that there are no First Nations here, that our way of life is gone,' Kataquapit said. 'They say that whenever they come to do surveys or look around, there's no evidence we were here — but there is evidence that we were here.' To emphasize his point, Kataquapit is planting tipi poles every half-kilometre and raising community-made flags to mark the nations' territory and challenge the claim that the Ring of Fire is 'empty land.' Visible markers will send a clear message to both levels of government, he said. Bill 5 and Bill C-5 will open the door for governments to carve out special economic zones or designate projects that can bypass both environmental rules and the need for Indigenous consent. 'UNDRIP is broken. Free, prior, and informed consent is broken. The duty to consult is broken,' said Coleen Moonias, a spokesperson for Neskantaga First Nation. 'We must continue to fight together and be united.' At the heart of this dispute is the Ring of Fire, a vast mineral-rich region that provincial and federal governments see as key to Canada's ambitions as an 'international resource superpower.' Attawapiskat and Neskantaga are Cree and Oji-Cree First Nations located in the James Bay Lowlands. Both are members of the Mushkegowuk Council and have a long history of defending their lands and waterways from industrial development, including projects in the Ring of Fire region. The council, after seeing Kataquapit's efforts, helped turn his solo action into a larger movement. 'Anything that happens by the Ring of Fire will affect Attawapiskat itself, whether it's hydroelectric dams, whether it's any type of environmental contamination, will affect Attawapiskat. All water flows down,' Kataquapit said. The James Bay Lowlands is one of the world's largest untouched peatland areas. This area has vast wetlands, forests and rivers that provide important homes for woodland caribou, lake sturgeon and millions of migratory birds. People living along the Attawapiskat River, which flows 748 kilometres from Attawapiskat Lake, call themselves 'the water people,' as they care for the rivers, swamps and peatlands around them. Wetlands act as a carbon sink, helping to filter and clean the water that flows into the rivers. 'They call it the swamp. They call us Swampy Cree people. So they have a purpose,' Michel Koostachin, a member of Attawapiskat First Nation. If protections are weakened, local First Nations fear mining could harm habitats and contaminate the water with industrial pollutants and toxins. 'Industry comes and goes — whether it's dams, hydro or mining — but the people who don't come and go are the First Nations people,' said Abram Benedict, Ontario regional chief for the Chiefs of Ontario. 'When the land is desecrated, it's the First Nations people who are left to clean it up. There are no water pipelines running up into the north, and while there are many fresh bodies of water, it only takes one bad environmental disaster to contaminate them all. I don't blame people for wanting to protect the land.' Neskantaga, located upriver, has endured Canada's longest-running boil water advisory — over 30 years. Attawapiskat has also faced on-and-off boil water advisories for years. While allies organize rallies and lobby at Parliament Hill and Queen's Park, Kataquapit — a filmmaker and second-year geography and environmental management student at the University of Waterloo — is travelling with his parents and brother along the Attawapiskat River. 'We're out in what most people would consider the middle of nowhere—about 500 kilometres north of the nearest highway,' Kataquapit said. The trip came together just two weeks ago, after Kataquapit learned about federal Bill C-5, then known as the 'national interest' legislation. 'When I first heard of Bill C-5, I thought, 'Okay, this is it. They're going to come in and this is just going to completely stomp all over our race,'' he said. 'The Ring of Fire is coming, and we have to act.' Kataquapit pointed to Ontario's Bill 5 as clear evidence that the provincial government does not value meaningful input from Indigenous communities. He noted that the legislation was passed without consulting First Nations, undermining the duty to consult and weakening legal protections for Indigenous rights and the environment. 'The time for talking is over. Just look at Ontario's Bill 5. They showed us how much our words are worth to them,' he said. 'We have to go out on the land and get things started.' Kataquapit called his parents and told them he was clearing his summer. They immediately agreed, cancelling their own plans to join him on the river. He used his university funds to get started — fuel, supplies and gear. As word spread, donations began arriving from Attawapiskat, neighbouring First Nations and supporters online. Over the week, the community created family flags with handwritten messages like: 'Youth are for the land,' 'Youth want to protect the land' and 'We need to conserve the land and waters for future generations.' The family livestreams their journey on Facebook , using a Starlink internet connection powered by a generator set up on their boat. This allows them to share their trip in real time as they move along the river and make stops. 'I'm not waiting for anyone. We just need to get out there and start informing as many people as possible,' Kataquapit said. The journey upriver is tough, especially this time of year. Water levels are low, forcing them at times to get out and pull the boats through shallow stretches. His mother, Monique Edwards, said the family's connection to the land runs deep. 'We're people that go out on the land all the time. He's always been; even before he walked, we got him out on the land,' she said. The initial destination for the river journey was the confluence of the Muketei River and the main Attawapiskat River. Now they plan to go further, which involves a first stop at the Muketei River junction to plant the family flags and take videos on Friday, followed by a continuation further upriver to establish an encampment with Neskantaga First Nation and other Indigenous communities who have expressed interest in joining. Members of Attawapiskat and other First Nations are expected to join them by float plane at the encampment, possibly next Monday. Kataquapit said more than 30 people have already signed up for the float planes, and he expects more to join. He said all of this is being funded through donations and individuals' personal money. Kataquapit is documenting every step as the expedition's videographer, photographer and social media manager. He sees the fight against the bills as a long-term commitment, and is determined to remain on the land throughout the summer and fall — and if necessary into the winter. 'Me and my parents, we're not going back to Attawapiskat. We're not going anywhere else until Bill 5 is withdrawn,' he said. Edwards said she is reflecting on the connection she has with their ancestors as they travel through the same places along the river that have been used for millennia. That connection to the past shapes how the family approaches their boat journey today. 'We don't just come in, make our mark, and leave it at that,' Kataquapit said. 'We spread out the fires, gather every single piece of trash, and carry it with us the entire journey. A large part of why we're doing this trip is to reassert our presence and show what true stewardship looks like.' Kataquapit warns that if governments are allowed to bypass Indigenous rights here, it sets a dangerous precedent for Indigenous nations across Canada and globally. 'Everyone is looking at the Ring of Fire. If we manage to stop, if we stand our ground and say, 'This is where we're going to stand, right here, and we're not going to move,' and if we are successful, then I think that will set a really solid precedent for every other potential conflict with the federal and provincial governments across Canada,' he said. 'These young people are making the stand. They're calling out peaceful protests, they're not blockading the road,' said Koostachin, who is also founder of Friends of Attawapiskat River, a coalition of community members and allies working to protect Attawapiskat, Neskantaga, and other Treaty 9 nations. Beyond peaceful demonstrations, legal action is also underway. Koostachin said Friends of Attawapiskat River are working closely with legal counsel from Legal Advocates for Nature's Defence and are committed to challenging the validity of Ontario's Bill 5 in court, arguing it violates Indigenous and treaty rights. He said that a First Nation — yet to be publicly named — is expected to lead the legal action, with Friends of Attawapiskat River and other First Nations communities prepared to intervene and submit arguments stating breaches of Indigenous, treaty and Aboriginal rights, as well as violations of UNDRIP. Similar legal challenges are anticipated if Bill C-5 is enacted at the federal level. 'The region is the last pristine land in northern Ontario,' said Koostachin. 'There will be no bulldozing across the Attawapiskat River without our consent. Our people will stand together and stand strong.' 'We're not environmental radicals. We're the stewards of the land ... we're not protesters, we're protectors.' Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
National Observer
11 hours ago
- Politics
- National Observer
'Here We Stand': River journey protests controversial bills By Sonal Gupta News Urban Indigenous Communities in Ottawa June 20th 2025 Scroll down to continue Share this article
Jeronimo Kataquapit with his parents and brother by the Attawapiskat River during one of the protests. Courtesy of Jeronimo Kataquapit. A 20-year-old university student from Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario is putting his summer on hold — and taking a 400-kilometre boat journey to protest against new provincial and federal bills he says threaten his people's land, culture and way of life. Jeronimo Kataquapit is leading a grassroots movement called "Here We Stand," a direct response to Ontario's recently passed Bill 5 and the proposed federal Bill C-5 — pieces of legislation that, according to Indigenous leaders, accelerate mining and development in the Ring of Fire region without proper Indigenous consultation. Kataquapit's journey, which began Monday from Attawapiskat, is a physical reassertion of Indigenous presence and inherent rights in a territory he argues is wrongly portrayed as uninhabited. 'One of the general opinions I hear is that there are no First Nations here, that our way of life is gone,' Kataquapit said. 'They say that whenever they come to do surveys or look around, there's no evidence we were here — but there is evidence that we were here.' To emphasize his point, Kataquapit is planting tipi poles every half-kilometre and raising community-made flags to mark the nations' territory and challenge the claim that the Ring of Fire is 'empty land.' Visible markers will send a clear message to both levels of government, he said. Bill 5 and Bill C-5 will open the door for governments to carve out special economic zones or designate projects that can bypass both environmental rules and the need for Indigenous consent. 'UNDRIP is broken. Free, prior, and informed consent is broken. The duty to consult is broken,' said Coleen Moonias, a spokesperson for Neskantaga First Nation. 'We must continue to fight together and be united.' At the heart of this dispute is the Ring of Fire, a vast mineral-rich region that provincial and federal governments see as key to Canada's ambitions as an 'international resource superpower.' Attawapiskat and Neskantaga are Cree and Oji-Cree First Nations located in the James Bay Lowlands. Both are members of the Mushkegowuk Council and have a long history of defending their lands and waterways from industrial development, including projects in the Ring of Fire region. The council, after seeing Kataquapit's efforts, helped turn his solo action into a larger movement. 'Anything that happens by the Ring of Fire will affect Attawapiskat itself, whether it's hydroelectric dams, whether it's any type of environmental contamination, will affect Attawapiskat. All water flows down,' Kataquapit said. The James Bay Lowlands is one of the world's largest untouched peatland areas. This area has vast wetlands, forests and rivers that provide important homes for woodland caribou, lake sturgeon and millions of migratory birds. People living along the Attawapiskat River, which flows 748 kilometres from Attawapiskat Lake, call themselves 'the water people,' as they care for the rivers, swamps and peatlands around them. Wetlands act as a carbon sink, helping to filter and clean the water that flows into the rivers. "They call it the swamp. They call us Swampy Cree people. So they have a purpose,' Michel Koostachin, a member of Attawapiskat First Nation. If protections are weakened, local First Nations fear mining could harm habitats and contaminate the water with industrial pollutants and toxins. "Industry comes and goes — whether it's dams, hydro or mining — but the people who don't come and go are the First Nations people," said Abram Benedict, Ontario regional chief for the Chiefs of Ontario. "When the land is desecrated, it's the First Nations people who are left to clean it up. There are no water pipelines running up into the north, and while there are many fresh bodies of water, it only takes one bad environmental disaster to contaminate them all. I don't blame people for wanting to protect the land." Neskantaga, located upriver, has endured Canada's longest-running boil water advisory — over 30 years. Attawapiskat has also faced on-and-off boil water advisories for years. Chapter 1 On the river Scroll down to continue Map showing Kataquapit's boat journey with his parents from Attawapiskat, with stops where the Muketei River meets the Attawapiskat River and at a final destination further inland. Along the route, they place markers to assert the land as Indigenous territory. Courtesy of Jeronimo Kataquapit. While allies organize rallies and lobby at Parliament Hill and Queen's Park, Kataquapit — a filmmaker and second-year geography and environmental management student at the University of Waterloo — is travelling with his parents and brother along the Attawapiskat River. 'We're out in what most people would consider the middle of nowhere—about 500 kilometres north of the nearest highway,' Kataquapit said. The trip came together just two weeks ago, after Kataquapit learned about federal Bill C-5, then known as the 'national interest' legislation. 'When I first heard of Bill C-5, I thought, 'Okay, this is it. They're going to come in and this is just going to completely stomp all over our race,'' he said. 'The Ring of Fire is coming, and we have to act.' Kataquapit pointed to Ontario's Bill 5 as clear evidence that the provincial government does not value meaningful input from Indigenous communities. He noted that the legislation was passed without consulting First Nations, undermining the duty to consult and weakening legal protections for Indigenous rights and the environment. 'The time for talking is over. Just look at Ontario's Bill 5. They showed us how much our words are worth to them,' he said. 'We have to go out on the land and get things started.' Kataquapit called his parents and told them he was clearing his summer. They immediately agreed, cancelling their own plans to join him on the river. He used his university funds to get started — fuel, supplies and gear. As word spread, donations began arriving from Attawapiskat, neighbouring First Nations and supporters online. Over the week, the community created family flags with handwritten messages like: 'Youth are for the land,' 'Youth want to protect the land' and 'We need to conserve the land and waters for future generations.' The family livestreams their journey on Facebook, using a Starlink internet connection powered by a generator set up on their boat. This allows them to share their trip in real time as they move along the river and make stops. 'I'm not waiting for anyone. We just need to get out there and start informing as many people as possible,' Kataquapit said. The journey upriver is tough, especially this time of year. Water levels are low, forcing them at times to get out and pull the boats through shallow stretches. His mother, Monique Edwards, said the family's connection to the land runs deep. 'We're people that go out on the land all the time. He's always been; even before he walked, we got him out on the land,' she said. Chapter 2 Long-term commitment Scroll down to continue As part of their journey, Kataquapit and his family live-stream from stops—day and evening—sharing moments of rest, reflection, and ceremony to assert their deep connection to the land. Screenshot from Jeronimo Kataquapit's Here We Stand Facebook page. The initial destination for the river journey was the confluence of the Muketei River and the main Attawapiskat River. Now they plan to go further, which involves a first stop at the Muketei River junction to plant the family flags and take videos on Friday, followed by a continuation further upriver to establish an encampment with Neskantaga First Nation and other Indigenous communities who have expressed interest in joining. Members of Attawapiskat and other First Nations are expected to join them by float plane at the encampment, possibly next Monday. Kataquapit said more than 30 people have already signed up for the float planes, and he expects more to join. He said all of this is being funded through donations and individuals' personal money. Kataquapit is documenting every step as the expedition's videographer, photographer and social media manager. He sees the fight against the bills as a long-term commitment, and is determined to remain on the land throughout the summer and fall — and if necessary into the winter. "Me and my parents, we're not going back to Attawapiskat. We're not going anywhere else until Bill 5 is withdrawn," he said. Edwards said she is reflecting on the connection she has with their ancestors as they travel through the same places along the river that have been used for millennia. That connection to the past shapes how the family approaches their boat journey today. 'We don't just come in, make our mark, and leave it at that,' Kataquapit said. 'We spread out the fires, gather every single piece of trash, and carry it with us the entire journey. A large part of why we're doing this trip is to reassert our presence and show what true stewardship looks like.' Chapter 3 The Ring of Fire: A central battleground Scroll down to continue The family's two boats, fully stocked with supplies as they prepare to camp out through the summer and into fall or winter in protest against the bills. Courtesy of Jeronimo Kataquapit. Kataquapit warns that if governments are allowed to bypass Indigenous rights here, it sets a dangerous precedent for Indigenous nations across Canada and globally. 'Everyone is looking at the Ring of Fire. If we manage to stop, if we stand our ground and say, 'This is where we're going to stand, right here, and we're not going to move,' and if we are successful, then I think that will set a really solid precedent for every other potential conflict with the federal and provincial governments across Canada,' he said. "These young people are making the stand. They're calling out peaceful protests, they're not blockading the road,' said Koostachin, who is also founder of Friends of Attawapiskat River, a coalition of community members and allies working to protect Attawapiskat, Neskantaga, and other Treaty 9 nations. Beyond peaceful demonstrations, legal action is also underway. Koostachin said Friends of Attawapiskat River are working closely with legal counsel from Legal Advocates for Nature's Defence and are committed to challenging the validity of Ontario's Bill 5 in court, arguing it violates Indigenous and treaty rights. He said that a First Nation — yet to be publicly named — is expected to lead the legal action, with Friends of Attawapiskat River and other First Nations communities prepared to intervene and submit arguments stating breaches of Indigenous, treaty and Aboriginal rights, as well as violations of UNDRIP. Similar legal challenges are anticipated if Bill C-5 is enacted at the federal level. 'The region is the last pristine land in northern Ontario,' said Koostachin. 'There will be no bulldozing across the Attawapiskat River without our consent. Our people will stand together and stand strong.' 'We're not environmental radicals. We're the stewards of the land ... we're not protesters, we're protectors.' Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer All photos and video footage provided by Jeronimo Kataquapit, who is a filmmaker documenting his family's boat journey in opposition to Bill 5 and C-5. Compiled and edited by Sonal Gupta. Related content One in four Canadians say they were affected by extreme weather in last year: poll Carney's controversial major projects bill clears committee Carney steered the G7 through the 'diplomatic Rockies,' says expert
Hamilton Spectator
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
First Nations call on Carney to deliver on clean water and housing in first 100 days
Prime Minister Mark Carney's government faces its first major test on Indigenous infrastructure when Parliament resumes — First Nations leaders are demanding reintroduction of stalled water legislation and new investments in community-led housing within the first 100 days. Senator Paul Prosper, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, and other First Nations leaders unveiled seven 'Canada Strong' priorities in Ottawa this week. They identified clean water and housing as urgent areas for immediate federal action, among other priorities for economic development and fisheries management. Indigenous Services Canada has issued 32 long-term drinking water advisories in First Nations communities. Neskantaga First Nation has been under a boil water advisory for almost 30 years. In 2024, the former Liberal government introduced Bill C-61 to establish enforceable national standards for drinking water and wastewater, safeguard freshwater sources, and create a First Nations Water Commission. The bill died on the order paper when Parliament was dissolved for the election, and will have to be reintroduced if it is to become law. 'The promise of introduction of a bill to address long-standing drinking water issues is more than just a promise,' said Kerry Black, an assistant professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Calgary, during the press conference. 'It's a legal requirement embedded in the class action settlement.' Tataskweyak Cree Nation, Curve Lake First Nation, and Neskantaga First Nation filed a national class action lawsuit against the federal government, resulting in an $8-billion settlement and a legal commitment to modernize First Nations drinking water legislation, making reform a binding requirement of the settlement. 'Canada is a developed country, is a first- world country, and we shouldn't have our own people, the first peoples of this country, that don't have safe drinking water yet. There's something wrong with this picture,' said Myrle Ballard, a University of Manitoba professor and Anishinaabe scholar focused on Indigenous science and environmental issues. Beyond Bill C-61, the government is expected to make substantial investments in infrastructure and ongoing funding to support water treatment systems and personnel training. 'It's not just a one-time thing; it has to be an ongoing commitment,' Ballard said. Ken Coates, a professor of Indigenous governance at Yukon University, said that governments already have the authority and resources to upgrade drinking water systems, just as they routinely repair roads. Failing to fund those upgrades would be a clear sign Indigenous Peoples are not being treated equally, he said. Housing on reserves is still a crisis, according to the Assembly of First Nations report . Over 150,000 new homes are needed to address overcrowding, mould and deteriorating infrastructure. The previous Parliament's $4.3-billion Indigenous Housing Strategy has funded 74 projects so far, but thousands of families are still on waitlists. 'If we invest in First Nations to close the infrastructure and housing gap, we can propel ourselves from being at the bottom of the G7 countries to number one worldwide. I believe this represents a smart approach for Canada, investing in First Nations,' Woodhouse Nepinak said at the press conference. Housing experts say there is a disconnect between policy design and on-the-ground community needs, pointing to fragmented supply chains, gaps in infrastructure and lack of skilled trades. Leaders at the conference pressed for funding to flow directly to Indigenous-led housing projects. 'Prime Minister Carney has said that Canada must spend less and invest more, and First Nations-led solutions are exactly the kind of smart investment that delivers real returns in housing, jobs and long-term economic strength,' said Candace Larsen, executive director of One Bowl Housing Corporation, during the press conference. One Bowl, led by Missanabie Cree, Chapleau Anishinabeg, and Brunswick House First Nations in Ontario, builds modular homes from local timber. Since 2019, it has built 22 homes and sent 15 DIY kits to Kashechewan First Nation, where residents are trained to assemble energy-efficient houses suited for northern climates. The organization is also trying to build community capacity and self-sufficiency by involving local people in every stage of the housing process. Direct investment is needed not only in such housing projects, but also in capacity-building grants, streamlined approvals and technical support for First Nations communities, said Coates. Other priorities discussed include investing in Indigenous-led economic development initiatives, finalizing overdue disability income support for Mi'kmaw communities, expediting self-government fiscal negotiations and launching the external review into DFO's treatment of Mi'kmaw fishers. As Parliament prepares to open on May 26, the government's response to these priorities will be closely watched by First Nations leaders. 'The path to a stronger Canada runs through real partnership with First Nations Peoples. That means funding First Nations-led solutions with the same urgency and the same seriousness that we give to every other national priority,' Larsen said. Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer
Hamilton Spectator
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Canada is not for sale — And neither is Neskantaga First Nation, says chief
Neskantaga First Nation Chief Gary Quisess is only six weeks into his first term, and is facing simultaneous crises in his community and in Thunder Bay. But he left home and travelled to Queen's Park today to call out what he describes as 'genocide' buried in new provincial environmental legislation. Ontario's proposed Bill 5, the Protect Ontario By Unleashing Our Economy Act, would allow the province to designate 'special economic zones' that would qualify to bypass some environmental regulations and speed up development. It is expected to be in force as early as September, and Premier Doug Ford intends to name the proposed Ring of Fire mineral development as the first such site. Critics say the law would gut protections for endangered species, remove environmental protections, and trample Indigenous rights. 'The position is, Canada is not for sale, (well the same goes for) our lands and resources – period,' Quisess told Ricochet Media. 'I hear the premier saying Canada is not for sale, I hear the candidates saying Canada is not for sale. That goes for our lands and resources.' Neskantaga, located on the Attawapiskat River, 450 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, has been among the most vocal First Nations in opposing the proposed Ring of Fire development. As Quisess spoke to the Toronto media on Monday, two-thirds of his community members have already spent nearly a month in Thunder Bay hotels due to a health-related state of emergency whose implications remain uncertain. Quisess minces no words about the connection between the poor infrastructure and looming mining encroachment. 'Nobody wants to say 'genocide.' This is a genocide, that's how I look at it. You have water issues, now our health, and there's a drug pandemic. The list goes on and on. I live in the third world. I'm not ashamed to admit it.' Quisess says he has no intention of suing Ford over inadequate consultation for the Ring of Fire, as the premier dared First Nations to do during the spring election campaign. 'I'm just going to tell him to leave. If he doesn't like it here, he can leave.' Quisess' statements come as 176 of Neskantaga's 300 on-reserve members mark their 29th day living in Thunder Bay hotels. More than half the community has been forced into exile after their health centre flooded, and the resulting state of emergency prompted a wide-scale evacuation. Unexpected weather leads to evacuation On April 13, a sudden temperature jump to 12 degrees Celsius caused a rapid snow melt. Water pooled between the diesel tank and the health facility, then the basement flooded for the third consecutive year. As sump pumps failed, the thick smell of fuel hung in the air for 25 metres in every direction around the building. The tank and pipes used to power the centre had been replaced only six months ago. A worker claimed to have found a fuel filter tipped over, but it's still undetermined whether a diesel spill has occurred or whether airborne spores from mould pose health risks. Air tests have shown acceptable levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, while geotechnical testing and soil samples are expected to take three weeks. Meanwhile, staff is moving files and equipment into a duplex home that will serve as a temporary health facility, while work crews build accessibility infrastructure. Some community members are beginning to ask their leaders if a new facility should be built, but Neskantaga Councillor Bradley Moonias anticipates the short-term fix will have to support their needs, at least through the summer. He's surprised to find Indigenous Services Canada had no emergency plan if the health centre failed. 'There should be a plan for our people. We're remote-access. The government should have a plan in place for situations like this,' Moonias says. 'If a health facility is all-of-a-sudden deemed unsafe, there should be a plan in place on how to respond to it quickly. We're all entitled to health care.' This emergent problem is only the latest in a series of infrastructure failures that impact nearly every aspect of life. Buildings erected in the mid-1990s when the federal government relocated the community are beginning to break down. Quisess, Moonias and the rest of the new council took office only two weeks before the flood. Within days, the school's boiler broke down, cancelling classes for the last 10 days before the evacuation. Some road infrastructure has been washed away. Compounding infrastructure problems, Neskantaga is the site of Canada's longest boil-water advisory . The experimental process used to construct the water purification plant 30 years ago has never worked, and plans for a new system are now restarting at both the capital planning and technical Quisess says the community moved under duress, and between all of these failed promises and infrastructure, no one has made any offer or promise of any benefit his community might get from mining. 'We were promised we were going to live healthy, that there was going to be clean drinking water. Our old community was demolished. We were forced by the government, if you don't demolish it, you're not going to get new housing,' he says. 'And they come over and do their thing and we get nothing out of it? I don't think that's right.' Goose hunt to hotel room Fourteen-year-old Jayla Troutlake was in her tent when the text came through that her family needed to come home from the annual spring migratory goose hunt for the evacuation. She's a self-described 'newbie' as a sharpshooter, but she's passionate about being out on the land at this time of she's now spending her days in her hotel room and a makeshift classroom, where highlights are getting ready for breakfast and dinner. 'It's really sad. We're staying at the hotel and there's not really much to do,' she says. 'I see elders or adults upset and it makes my heart shatter.' Over that time, three members have gone missing. They include two 12-year-olds who didn't come home overnight and another youth with mental health challenges. All three were eventually found. Neskantaga's youngest councillor, 21-year-old Lashaunda Waswa, moved home in January to run for council because her grandfather's trapline is downriver on the land where Ring of Fire mines are proposed. Her greatest concern is for those members who are in recovery from addiction and have now spent weeks in Thunder Bay, where drugs are much more available than they are back home. Waswa says that while most people living with complex health conditions and addictions flew out early, many in recovery had initially opted to remain behind, choosing to risk becoming sick or injured in the community over the risk of relapsing in the city. But in the end, a whole plane load chose to join their family members in Thunder Bay. 'When you have an addiction and you recover from that, it's hard to say no when you're offered more substances. Most of the people with addictions have children and most of those children are vulnerable,' she says. Indigenous Services Canada has made funding available for mental health counsellors and Red Cross workers in both Thunder Bay and Neskantaga. 'It's exhausting but we're managing,' says Neskantaga's nurse in charge, Mark the health centre's flooding and testing continues and a temporary site is assembled, Banyai and his staff of two nurses are already thinking about the needs the 176 evacuated members will have when they return. Concerns like influenza and COVID are top-of-mind, and Banyai hopes the community will be well-resourced for those addictions concerns as well.'When you have somebody who has been clean for a handful of months and you put them in an environment which is full of drugs – because Thunder Bay is just full of drugs, it's ridiculous – put them in that environment and it's hard to control. I do suspect substance abuse will be an issue and when they come back. Bringing in substances may also be an issue.'
