Respect Indigenous Rights and Withdraw Opposition to Bill C-61, CUPE Ontario Tells Ford Conservatives

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CUPE Ontario is calling on the Ford Conservatives to rescind a letter co-signed by Ontario Environment Minister Todd McCarthy, who asked his federal counterpart to prioritize development and competitiveness over clean, safe drinking water for Indigenous communities.

After the federal Liberals signalled plans to re-introduce Bill C-61 – legislation meant to guarantee First Nations communities’ access to clean drinking water – both McCarthy and the environment minister for Alberta wrote to the federal environment minister, asking her to refrain from going ahead with the bill. Bill C-61 died when Parliament was prorogued earlier this year.

“Minister McCarthy can call it “confusion,” but he put his request in writing to the federal environment minister and he has yet to withdraw it,” said CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn. “Indigenous leaders have called for the minister to resign, and our union supports their demand.

“But Premier Ford must also intervene to rescind the letter officially, as part of the government’s effort to correct this deeply troubling misstep.”

Hahn pointed out that, time and time again, “the Ford Conservatives deny the human rights of Indigenous people and communities, and this attitude is born out of nothing more than ingrained environmental racism.”

“CUPE members are among those who work to provide clean drinking water in cities and towns across Ontario,” he continued. “Would Minister McCarthy threaten the drinking water of residents of Bowmanville or Burlington, or any other town or city, in the name of competitiveness? No. Apologies notwithstanding, the minister has undermined decades of advocacy by Indigenous people to secure safe reliable drinking water for their families and communities.”

As CUPE’s Water Is Life campaign asserts, access to clean water is not a privilege, but a right that should be afforded equally to everyone in Canada.

“We’ve already seen the Ford Conservatives impose legislation that is harmful to Indigenous communities,” said Dawn Bellerose, past leader of CUPE’s National Indigenous Council and a vice-president on CUPE Ontario’s executive board. “This time, they are attempting to block legislation that would benefit Indigenous communities. The ongoing lack of respect is insulting and hurtful. This government needs to do better, and I support the call of Anishinabek Nation Grand Counsil Chief Linda Debassige for the minister’s resignation.”

Jennifer Smith, chair of the CUPE Ontario Indigenous Council, said: “Too many First Nations communities in Ontario have boil-water advisories that are decades old. Indigenous communities continue to live with the impacts on the health, well being and futures of their people. Bill C-61 would help end this particular brand of environmental racism, but the Ford Conservatives are hoping to see it flourish. It’s immoral, and we add our voice to those demanding respect, equity and true recognition of Indigenous sovereignty.”

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