Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller
A major election promise from the Trudeau government will not meet the intended deadline.
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller admited the promise to have boil water advisories lifted in First Nation communities by March of next year will not be met.
He explains it was an ambitious objective “right from the get-go” with problems in meeting complex goals, since each reserve has its own set of priorities in achieving them.
However, the Trudeau government is once again making the promise to First Nation communities.
The Minister also announced an additional $1.9 billion dollars to tackle water problems on reserves.
Locally, Miller points out in Shoal Lake 40 First Nation near Kenora the Freedom Road was completed before work began on their water system.
That road he notes was critical, in allowing them to bring the necessary equipment to their community to complete the work on their water treatment plant.
Currently there are 59 boil water advisories in 41 communities across Canada.
22 of those advisories will not be lifted by the deadline, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised they would be in the election campaign five years ago.
