Kashechewan First Nation
Encyclopedia
The Kashechewan First Nation is a Cree
First Nation located near James Bay
in Northern Ontario
, Canada
. The community is located on the northern shore of the Albany River
. Kashechewan First Nation is one of two communities that were established from Old Fort Albany in the 1950s. The other community is Fort Albany First Nation which is now located on the southern bank of the Albany River. The community is connected to other towns along the shore of James Bay
by the seasonal James Bay ice road
/winter road
, linking it to the towns of Attawapiskat, Fort Albany
, and Moosonee
.
Kashechewan is police
d by the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service
, an Aboriginal based service. A fire at the detachment on January 9, 2006 severely injured an officer and killed two inmates as they could not be rescued.
When the community of Kashechewan came into being, the new residents chose the name "Keeshechewan". (This has the meaning, in Cree, of "where the water flows fast".) However, when the sign for the new post office arrived, it had the misspelling "Kashechewan", and this became the official name of the community. This official name has no real meaning in the Cree language.
, along with seven other First Nations in Northern Ontario. The community and Mushkegowuk Council are represented by the Nishnawbe Aski Nation
. NAN is a political territorial organization that represents the 50 First Nations that are part of the Treaty #9 area in Northern Ontario. At the provincial level, the community, tribal council and political territorial organization participate in a province wide coordinating body, the Chiefs of Ontario. The Assembly of First Nations
represents the community along with other First Nations organizations and councils as well as over 600 First Nations across Canada.
As of 2009, the elected leaders of the First Nation include Chief Jonathan Solomon and Deputy Chief William Sutherland. The community's leadership consists of a chief, a deputy chief and 12 councillors plus one elder, a men's representative, a women's representative and male and female youth representatives. Local elections are held every three years, last in 2006.
In 2001, the Ontario Clean Water Agency
conducted a survey, funded by the federal ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs
and the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation, of water systems on Indian reserve
s in the province. The survey identified 62 communities in the province, including Kashechewan, where severe problems affected the communities' water systems. These problems included broken treatment plant equipment, malfunctioning safety alarms, funding shortages, water sampling deficiencies and a shortage of trained water treatment plant staff. To date, little if any action has been taken on the report's recommendations.
In 2003, a report by the same agency described the situation in Kashechewan as "a Walkerton
-in-waiting." Several politicians subsequently visited the First Nation, including its Member of Provincial Parliament Gilles Bisson
and Member of Parliament
Charlie Angus
, Ontario Minister of Community Safety Monte Kwinter
in April 2005 and federal New Democratic Party
leader Jack Layton
in the summer of 2005.
As the water quality situation progressed, Indian and Northern Affairs began to fly bottled water
into the First Nation. From April 2005 to mid-October 2005, this cost roughly $250,000 CAD
.
of the situation. The news of contaminated water was first published by the Timmins Daily Press
. Following this, the first announcement regarding possible evacuation of the community came from the federal Ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs, who announced on October 24 that after evaluating the situation the First Nation would not be evacuated.
The next day, on October 25, the Government of Ontario
announced that it would evacuate all people of Kashechewan requiring medical attention. This was estimated to be roughly 60% of the First Nation's 1,900 members, who would travel to Timmins
, Cochrane
, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie
, Capreol
and other Northern Ontario communities for medical aid. Some of these evacuees included children diagnosed with scabies
and impetigo
.
On October 25, the federal government
confirmed that, "water samples taken between October 17, 2005 and October 19, 2005 indicated no e-coli or coliform bacteria present in the community’s water supply." On October 27, the government confirmed that it would invest money in relocating the community to higher and safer ground in the area, including the construction of a water treatment
plant. On October 30, a temporary portable water filtration system, capable of producing 50,000 litres per day of clean, drinkable water through reverse osmosis
, was transported to the community.
On November 5, the federal government
published its findings. According to the report, "recent test results of water samples show no E-coli, no total coliform bacteria and maximum chlorine levels that fall within provincial standards. This means the plant is producing safe water."
Phil Fontaine
, chief of the Assembly of First Nations
, has stated that over 100 aboriginal communities in Canada are currently living under permanent, long-term boil-water advisories.
ing. In June, Chief Leo Friday criticized the government of Stephen Harper
for apparently backing out of the government agreement to relocate the community. Indian Affairs
Minister Jim Prentice
indicated that the previous Liberal government had failed to budget funds for the move agreement, although Charlie Angus
, the area's Member of Parliament, indicated that the community had already received $9 million in federal aid under the supposedly unbudgeted agreement.
. On February 7, MP Charlie Angus
(NDP—Timmins-James Bay) spoke in the Canadian House of Commons about the crisis, calling on the government to deal with the crisis and to increase education funding to help improve special education and crisis counselling services in First Nations schools.
Studies have estimated that the suicide rate among Canadian First Nations is five to six times higher than among non-aboriginal Canadians.
recommended a number of possible solutions to the ongoing Kashechewan crisis, including upgrading the current site, moving the community to a new site, and moving the residents to the existing communities of Fort Albany
, Smooth Rock Falls
or Timmins
. Pope, a resident of Timmins, recommended the Timmins option.
On July 30, 2007, the government of Canada signed a memorandum of agreement and understanding with the First Nation, giving the Kashechewan First Nation reserve a grant of $200 million to improve and repair infastructure, housing and flood control services in the existing community.
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
First Nation located near James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The community is located on the northern shore of the Albany River
Albany River
The Albany River is a river in Northern Ontario, Canada, which flows northeast from Lake St. Joseph in Northwestern Ontario and empties into James Bay. It is long to the head of the Cat River, tying it with the Severn River for the title of longest river in Ontario...
. Kashechewan First Nation is one of two communities that were established from Old Fort Albany in the 1950s. The other community is Fort Albany First Nation which is now located on the southern bank of the Albany River. The community is connected to other towns along the shore of James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
by the seasonal James Bay ice road
Ice road
Ice roads are frozen, human-made structures on the surface of bays, rivers, lakes, or seas in the far north. They link dry land, frozen waterways, portages and winter roads, and are usually remade each winter. Ice roads allow temporary transport to areas with no permanent road access...
/winter road
Winter road
Winter roads are temporary highways carved out of snow and ice. They facilitate transportation to and from communities without permanent roads, and are commonly seen in isolated regions in Canada's north....
, linking it to the towns of Attawapiskat, Fort Albany
Fort Albany, Ontario
Fort Albany First Nation is a community in within the Cochrane District of Northern Ontario, Canada. Situated on the southern shore of the Albany River, Fort Albany First Nation is only accessible by air or by winter road....
, and Moosonee
Moosonee, Ontario
Moosonee is a town in northern Ontario, Canada, on the Moose River approximately south of James Bay. It is considered as "the Gateway to the Arctic" and has Ontario's only saltwater port...
.
Kashechewan is police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
d by the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service
Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service
The Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service is the police force for Nishnawbe-Aski Nation . Created in 1994, the force has 175 sworn officers at 35 detachments in NAN communities. The Chief of Police is vacant with Robin Jones Acting Chief of Police...
, an Aboriginal based service. A fire at the detachment on January 9, 2006 severely injured an officer and killed two inmates as they could not be rescued.
When the community of Kashechewan came into being, the new residents chose the name "Keeshechewan". (This has the meaning, in Cree, of "where the water flows fast".) However, when the sign for the new post office arrived, it had the misspelling "Kashechewan", and this became the official name of the community. This official name has no real meaning in the Cree language.
Politics
Kashechewan First Nation is a member community of the Mushkegowuk CouncilMushkegowuk Council
Mushkegowuk Council , or officially as the Mushkegowuk Tribal Council, is a non-profit Regional Chiefs' Council representing Cree First Nations in northern Ontario, Canada...
, along with seven other First Nations in Northern Ontario. The community and Mushkegowuk Council are represented by the Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Nishnawbe Aski Nation is a political organization representing 49 First Nation communities across Treaty 9 and Treaty 5 areas of northern Ontario, Canada...
. NAN is a political territorial organization that represents the 50 First Nations that are part of the Treaty #9 area in Northern Ontario. At the provincial level, the community, tribal council and political territorial organization participate in a province wide coordinating body, the Chiefs of Ontario. The Assembly of First Nations
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations , formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood, is a body of First Nations leaders in Canada...
represents the community along with other First Nations organizations and councils as well as over 600 First Nations across Canada.
As of 2009, the elected leaders of the First Nation include Chief Jonathan Solomon and Deputy Chief William Sutherland. The community's leadership consists of a chief, a deputy chief and 12 councillors plus one elder, a men's representative, a women's representative and male and female youth representatives. Local elections are held every three years, last in 2006.
Water quality crisis
In late October and early November 2005, over 800 members of the First Nation were evacuated after E. coli bacteria was discovered in their water supply system. The First Nation had been under a boil-water advisory for two years. The drinking water was supplied by a relatively new treatment plant built in March 1998. The cause of the tainted water was found to be a plugged chlorine injector which was not discovered by local operators, who had not been adequately trained to run the treatment plant. When officials arrived and fixed the problem, chlorine levels were around 1.7 mg/l which was blamed for chronic skin disorders such as impetigo and scabies. An investigation led by Health Canada revealed that the skin disorders were likely due to living in squalor.In 2001, the Ontario Clean Water Agency
Ontario Clean Water Agency
The Ontario Clean Water Agency is a Crown agency of the Province of Ontario that provides operation, maintenance and management services for more than 450 water and wastewater treatment facilities in the province.-History:...
conducted a survey, funded by the federal ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
The Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for policies relating to Aboriginal peoples...
and the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation, of water systems on Indian reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
s in the province. The survey identified 62 communities in the province, including Kashechewan, where severe problems affected the communities' water systems. These problems included broken treatment plant equipment, malfunctioning safety alarms, funding shortages, water sampling deficiencies and a shortage of trained water treatment plant staff. To date, little if any action has been taken on the report's recommendations.
In 2003, a report by the same agency described the situation in Kashechewan as "a Walkerton
Walkerton Tragedy
The Walkerton Tragedy is a series of events that accompanied the contamination of the water supply of Walkerton, Ontario, Canada, by E. coli bacteria in May 2000.-Summary:Walkerton is a relatively small community located in Ontario...
-in-waiting." Several politicians subsequently visited the First Nation, including its Member of Provincial Parliament Gilles Bisson
Gilles Bisson
Gilles Bisson is a Franco-Ontarian Canadian politician who has represented the northern riding of Timmins—James Bay in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1990...
and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Charlie Angus
Charlie Angus
Charles Joseph Angus MP is a Canadian writer, broadcaster, musician, and politician. Angus entered electoral politics in 2004 as the successful New Democratic Party candidate in the Ontario riding of Timmins—James Bay. He was the NDP parliamentary critic for Canadian Heritage from 2004 to 2007,...
, Ontario Minister of Community Safety Monte Kwinter
Monte Kwinter
Monte Kwinter is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1985, was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson from 1985 to 1990, and was re-appointed to a cabinet position when the Liberals returned to power under Dalton...
in April 2005 and federal New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
leader Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
in the summer of 2005.
As the water quality situation progressed, Indian and Northern Affairs began to fly bottled water
Bottled water
Bottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
into the First Nation. From April 2005 to mid-October 2005, this cost roughly $250,000 CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
.
Discovery of E. coli
E. coli was discovered in the water of the First Nation as early as October 18, 2005 , sparking widespread coverage by media in CanadaMedia in Canada
Canada has a well-developed media sector, but its cultural output — particularly in English films, television shows, and magazines — is often overshadowed by imports from the United States. Television, magazines, and newspapers are primarily for-profit corporations based on advertising,...
of the situation. The news of contaminated water was first published by the Timmins Daily Press
Timmins Daily Press
The Timmins Daily Press is a newspaper in Timmins, Ontario, which publishes six days a week. It is notable as the first paper bought by press baron Roy Thomson, who would eventually own more than 200 newspapers including The Times...
. Following this, the first announcement regarding possible evacuation of the community came from the federal Ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs, who announced on October 24 that after evaluating the situation the First Nation would not be evacuated.
The next day, on October 25, the Government of Ontario
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
announced that it would evacuate all people of Kashechewan requiring medical attention. This was estimated to be roughly 60% of the First Nation's 1,900 members, who would travel to Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
, Cochrane
Cochrane, Ontario
Cochrane is a town in northern Ontario, Canada. It is located east of Kapuskasing, northeast of Timmins, south of Moosonee, and north of Iroquois Falls. It is about a one-hour drive from Timmins, the major city of the region. It is the seat of Cochrane District...
, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
, Capreol
Capreol, Ontario
Capreol is a community in the Ontario city of Greater Sudbury. From 1918 to 2000, Capreol existed as an independent town, situated on the Vermilion River....
and other Northern Ontario communities for medical aid. Some of these evacuees included children diagnosed with scabies
Scabies
Scabies , known colloquially as the seven-year itch, is a contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and other animals. It is caused by a tiny and usually not directly visible parasite, the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the host's skin, causing intense allergic itching...
and impetigo
Impetigo
Impetigo is a highly contagious bacterial skin infection most common among pre-school children. People who play close contact sports such as rugby, American football and wrestling are also susceptible, regardless of age. Impetigo is not as common in adults. The name derives from the Latin impetere...
.
On October 25, the federal government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
confirmed that, "water samples taken between October 17, 2005 and October 19, 2005 indicated no e-coli or coliform bacteria present in the community’s water supply." On October 27, the government confirmed that it would invest money in relocating the community to higher and safer ground in the area, including the construction of a water treatment
Water treatment
Water treatment describes those processes used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use. These can include use as drinking water, industrial processes, medical and many other uses. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing contaminants in the water, or reduce the...
plant. On October 30, a temporary portable water filtration system, capable of producing 50,000 litres per day of clean, drinkable water through reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis is a membrane technical filtration method that removes many types of large molecules and ions from solutions by applying pressure to the solution when it is on one side of a selective membrane. The result is that the solute is retained on the pressurized side of the membrane and...
, was transported to the community.
On November 5, the federal government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
published its findings. According to the report, "recent test results of water samples show no E-coli, no total coliform bacteria and maximum chlorine levels that fall within provincial standards. This means the plant is producing safe water."
Phil Fontaine
Phil Fontaine
Larry Phillip Fontaine, OM is an Aboriginal Canadian leader. He completed his third and final term as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations in 2009....
, chief of the Assembly of First Nations
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations , formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood, is a body of First Nations leaders in Canada...
, has stated that over 100 aboriginal communities in Canada are currently living under permanent, long-term boil-water advisories.
Flooding
In April 2006, the community was evacuated again due to floodFlood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing. In June, Chief Leo Friday criticized the government of Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
for apparently backing out of the government agreement to relocate the community. Indian Affairs
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (Canada)
The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who heads two different departments...
Minister Jim Prentice
Jim Prentice
James "Jim" Prentice, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer, and politician. In the 2004 federal election he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the Conservative Party of Canada...
indicated that the previous Liberal government had failed to budget funds for the move agreement, although Charlie Angus
Charlie Angus
Charles Joseph Angus MP is a Canadian writer, broadcaster, musician, and politician. Angus entered electoral politics in 2004 as the successful New Democratic Party candidate in the Ontario riding of Timmins—James Bay. He was the NDP parliamentary critic for Canadian Heritage from 2004 to 2007,...
, the area's Member of Parliament, indicated that the community had already received $9 million in federal aid under the supposedly unbudgeted agreement.
Suicide crisis
In January 2007, 21 young people in Kashechewan — including one nine-year-old — attempted to commit suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. On February 7, MP Charlie Angus
Charlie Angus
Charles Joseph Angus MP is a Canadian writer, broadcaster, musician, and politician. Angus entered electoral politics in 2004 as the successful New Democratic Party candidate in the Ontario riding of Timmins—James Bay. He was the NDP parliamentary critic for Canadian Heritage from 2004 to 2007,...
(NDP—Timmins-James Bay) spoke in the Canadian House of Commons about the crisis, calling on the government to deal with the crisis and to increase education funding to help improve special education and crisis counselling services in First Nations schools.
Studies have estimated that the suicide rate among Canadian First Nations is five to six times higher than among non-aboriginal Canadians.
Proposed move
On November 9, 2006, a report by former Member of Provincial Parliament Alan PopeAlan Pope
Alan William Pope is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1977 to 1990, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Bill Davis and Frank Miller.-Early years:Pope was raised in Northern Ontario, and...
recommended a number of possible solutions to the ongoing Kashechewan crisis, including upgrading the current site, moving the community to a new site, and moving the residents to the existing communities of Fort Albany
Fort Albany, Ontario
Fort Albany First Nation is a community in within the Cochrane District of Northern Ontario, Canada. Situated on the southern shore of the Albany River, Fort Albany First Nation is only accessible by air or by winter road....
, Smooth Rock Falls
Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
Smooth Rock Falls is an incorporated town in the Cochrane District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Part of the James Bay Frontier, it calls itself "The North's Biggest Little Town."-Geography and transportation:...
or Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
. Pope, a resident of Timmins, recommended the Timmins option.
On July 30, 2007, the government of Canada signed a memorandum of agreement and understanding with the First Nation, giving the Kashechewan First Nation reserve a grant of $200 million to improve and repair infastructure, housing and flood control services in the existing community.