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Who is going to clean up what’s there?

What a relief to know that the Shawnigan Lake issue with SIA has been decided by one of the courts. Still another court case to go!

What a relief to know that the Shawnigan Lake issue with SIA has been decided by one of the courts. Still another court case to go!

However, there is no comment as to who is going to clean up the huge dumping of contaminated waste that is already there. And who will pay for it?

Canada has one-fifth of the world’s fresh water.

More than 80 per cent of the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality relating to chemical contaminants provide less protection for public health than other industrialized nations.

On any given day, more than 1,000 boil-water advisories are in effect across the country, many in Indigenous communities. Places like Shoal Lake 40, Grassy Narrows and Neskantaga have been under boil-water advisories for decades.

Let’s have some respect, reverence even, for the amazing gifts of clean water and clean air!

More than 110 countries — over half of Earth’s nations — already recognize their citizens’ right to live in a healthy environment.

Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms is silent on the issue. A federal environmental bill of rights would help compensate for this omission and promote better environmental protections, build healthier communities and position Canada as a leader on environmental rights.

I hope other Canadians will urge the federal government to introduce an environmental bill of rights that will recognize, protect and fulfill our human right to clean water.

Together, ordinary people can take extraordinary action to protect the people and places we love.

I am so grateful to be living in such an amazingly rich and beautiful environment as the Cowichan Valley.

 

Johanna New Moon

Mill Bay