We Need To Protect Our First Nations From Emergencies – Wawatay News
January 19, 2026
I was surprised recently when I saw my relatives in my home community of Attawapiskat First Nation on the James Bay coast were still having to fetch water from a water pumping station in the community. For most people in the community, it is the only way for them to have clean drinking water. It was very surprising to me to see, because this was the reality when I was a teenager in the community over 30 years ago. I had hoped that by now, the water systems would be fixed and properly maintained to provide clean, safe drinking water to every household but that is not the case.
A more serious issue has occurred in Kashechewan First Nation, south of Attawapiskat FN on the James Bay coast. On January 4, Kashechewan FN Chief Hosea Wesley declared a state of local emergency when the community’s water treatment and wastewater plants were in a state of disrepair. They were at the point of a full emergency when not enough clean drinking water could be provided to residents. In the midst of the problems, a sewage backup at the community’s medical clinic forced them to move their medical services. This has been compounded by the fact that all the northern remote James Bay communities are in the midst of flu and Covid outbreaks, where many people are sick and unwell. The sickness is even more serious in northern remote First Nations due to the fact that most families live in overcrowded conditions and any contagious flu immediately infects many people all at once. Many people are also reporting that this year’s flu and Covid infections are more serious and troublesome for people of all ages.
Read More: https://www.wawataynews.ca/blogs-columns/we-need-protect-our-first-nations-emergencies
