Media.Knet.Ca

It is interesting to watch who is actually receiving First Nation dollars from INAC .... "negogiators", "police overtime", "land developers", "local home owners", "provincial governments" ... makes one wonder if the First Nations involved will ever receive any compensation?

From http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=bd1c1b9d-f08d-4afa-80a2-b40b048b4de6&rfp=dta&p=1

Ontario to ask feds for more than $25M to cover native occupation: McGuinty
Chinta Puxley, Canadian Press - Tuesday, October 24, 2006

TORONTO (CP) - Ottawa must pony up at least $25 million to cover the costs of an ongoing aboriginal occupation in Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday as he pressed the federal government to end what's being called the longest-running police operation in Canadian history.

The province's taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the bill for reimbursing local businesses, paying provincial negotiator Jane Stewart's $1,300-a-day salary and buying the land in question - a moribund housing development in Caledonia, Ont., south of Hamilton, McGuinty said.

"That doesn't include any additional costs connected with...policing, and we'll wait and see what we're looking at there," McGuinty said.

The final cost "certainly could be higher," he added.

The total cost of the occupation, which began in February when protesters from the neighbouring Six Nations reserve took control of the property, could be as high as $55 million with police overtime factored in, according to estimates by the Opposition Conservatives.

"The federal government has really been AWOL on this whole matter," said Finance Minister Greg Sorbara.

"It's time now they make their presence felt and they make their presence felt financially as well."

McGuinty said David Ramsay, the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, was to meet this week with his federal counterpart to discuss compensation.

But Deirdra McCracken, spokesperson for Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, said no meeting is scheduled and Prentice won't respond until he gets a formal request for funding.

"They're saying they're going to ask us, but we haven't received anything official yet and, until we do, we won't be commenting on it," McCracken said. The federal government has a negotiator at the table and has been actively involved in the talks to resolve the land claim, she added.

Ramsay said he'll be talking to Prentice by phone this week and hopes to arrange a face-to-face meeting next week.

"I'm going to present to him some ideas of how the federal government can be a financial contributor to what we're doing there and how they could become the dominant player in the negotiations, as they should be."

While critics accuse McGuinty of shirking responsibility for the ongoing occupation, more groups are joining the call for Ottawa to take ownership of the standoff.

Karl Walsh, president of the association that represents provincial police officers, said Ottawa seems virtually invisible on the Caledonia file, even though aboriginal land claims are a federal responsibility.

Ottawa should be stepping up efforts to resolve the dispute, and should send RCMP officers to help police the town, he added.

Walsh called Caledonia the longest-running police operation in Canada's history. The only operation that comes close, he said, is the 1990 aboriginal standoff in Oka, Que., when Kanesatake Mohawks set up a blockade to prevent encroachment onto a burial ground. It ended after 78 days.

"It's got to be costing money," Walsh said. "Enough's enough. We've been bearing the burden down there when it's a federal issue."

Ken Hewitt of the Caledonia Citizens' Alliance said many town residents agree the federal government isn't playing a large enough role in the dispute.

The alliance has been calling on the federal government to increase its profile in closed-door negotiations that seem to be moving far too slowly, Hewitt said.

"People want their lives back."

Opposition critics say the Ontario government is blaming Ottawa for its own bungled handling of the occupation. McGuinty realizes the standoff has lasted far too long and is now looking for someone else to take responsibility, said Conservative member Elizabeth Witmer.

"It's like everything else - they're simply not managing issues in this province in the best interests of taxpayers so they just push everything onto the federal government."

New Democrat Leader Howard Hampton said blaming other levels of government won't end the occupation and resolve the land claim.

"I think the public is sick and tired of that kind of scapegoating," he said.

Six Nations protesters descended on the property in late February, but it was April when police moved in, touching off a massive skirmish that prompted dozens more protesters to seize back the land and erect makeshift barricades which cut the town in half.

A number of clashes between protesters and local residents have erupted since; one was narrowly escaped just weeks ago when protesters rallied outside the site to protest what they called special treatment of aboriginals by police.

The book about the development of Tikinagan Agency is now available for purchase. The story also describes the history of the First Nations it serves.

Brian Walmark, KO Research Institute Coordinator is on his way to Rome to present the KO Telecom story at a Special session on "Indigenous People' Communication for Development" being organized by the World Bank and the United Nations.

The First World Congress on Communication for Development,  jointly organized by FAO, the World Bank and Communication Initiative is being  held in Rome, Italy,  from October 25-27, 2006.  The Congress is bringing  together about 500 communication professionals engaged in development  initiatives, policymakers, development practitioners, donor and NGO  representatives, and academics from around the world to share perspectives  and advocate for greater integration of communication in development policy  and programs. 

The first WCCD is discussing the use of communication for  development in four main themes:

• Governance,
• Participation and Transparency, 
• Health in a Time of Poverty and
• Sustainable Development and Communication  Labs,

The objectives of the gathering include:

• to demonstrate the value-added of communication for  development,
• to provide data and evidence of the impact of communication in  development projects and programs, and
• to reflect on how to incorporate  communication into development policy and practice.

Furthermore, a series of special events are also being organized on the  applications of Communication for Development to important developmental  issues.

Within this framework, a special session on "Indigenous People' Communication  for Development" is being organized by UNPFII, CIDOB, IFAD and FAO to promote  the mainstreaming of Community Development policies in support of Indigenous Peoples'
 development. The objectives of the session are:

• To discuss the role  of ComDev in promoting sustainable development of IP
• Define proposals for mainstreaming ComDev policies for IP
• Agree on a priority actions and follow-up initiatives

Keewaytinook Okimakanak's Research Institute (Brian Walmark) is invited to be part of that session to contribute to the results  with your experience and to present the point of view of our organization/institution towards the mainstreaming of communication for development.

The OECD's latest statistics on broadband penetration in member countries show that Canada is still first in the G7 in broadband penetration, but due to much faster gains by other countries Canada is now ninth in the OECD, down from second place in 2003. In the past six years, Canada has increased from 8.5 to 22.4 broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants.

From www.oecd.org/sti/ict/broadband

OECD Broadband Statistics to June 2006 
   
Over the past year, the number of broadband subscribers in the OECD increased 33% from 136 million in June 2005 to 181 million in June 2006. This growth increased broadband penetration rates in the OECD from 11.7 in June 2005 to 15.5 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants one year later. The main highlights for the first half of 2006 are:

• Northern European countries have continued their advance with high broadband penetration rates. In June 2006, six countries (Denmark, the Netherlands, Iceland, Korea, Switzerland and Finland) led the OECD in broadband penetration, each with at least 25 subscribers per 100 inhabitants.
• Denmark now leads the OECD with a broadband penetration rate of 29.3 subscribers per 100 inhabitants.
• The strongest per-capita subscriber growth comes from Denmark, Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Each country added more than 6 subscribers per 100 inhabitants during the past year.
• Fibre to the home is becoming  increasingly important for broadband access, particularly in countries with high broadband penetration. In Denmark, Danish power companies are rolling out fibre to consumers as they work to bury overhead power lines. Municipal broadband projects are also expanding in many northern European countries and throughout the OECD. Telecommunciation operators in several OECD countries have also begun or announced large fibre-to-the-premises rollouts.
• Japan leads the OECD in fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) with 6.3 million fibre subscribers in June 2006. Fibre subscribers alone in Japan outnumber total broadband subscribers in 22 of the 30 OECD countries.
• The total number of ADSL subscriptions in Korea and Japan have continued to decline as more users upgrade to fibre-based connections.
• DSL continues to be the leading platform in 28 OECD countries. Cable modem subscribers outnumber DSL in Canada and the United States.
• The United States has the largest total number of broadband subscribers in the OECD at 57 million. US broadband subscribers now represent 36% of all broadband connections in the OECD, up from 31% in December 2005.
• Canada continues to lead the G7 group of industrialized countries in broadband penetration.
• The breakdown of broadband technologies in June 2006 is as follows:
       o DSL: 63%
       o Cable modem: 29%
       o Other technologies (e.g. satellite, fibre and fixed wireless) : 8%

From http://www.trilliumfoundation.org/cms/en/August_15_06_NewsRelease.aspx

Small Capital Grants: Simplified Application Process

Toronto, August 15, 2006 –  Community organizations seeking small capital grants from our Foundation will now find it easier to apply. Thanks to the Simplified Application Process for Small Capital Grants, applicants seeking up to a maximum of $15,000 in capital funding can use a shorter application form with fewer required attachments.

This new process is good news for not-for-profit and charitable organizations across Ontario. They value our capital granting and asked for a simpler process when applying for smaller requests. 

Eligible organizations, large and small, that apply under either the Foundation’s Community or Province-Wide program can use this process. Applications for other types of grants and for capital funds greater than $15,000, must be made using our current standard application form.
 
The Foundation has played a valuable role in providing capital funding to eligible not-for-profit organizations in Ontario.  We have invested over $132 million in capital grants since 1999. Many of these grants were used for repairs, renovations or improvements to land or buildings, to purchase equipment to support program activities and to make buildings accessible.

To learn more about the Simplified Application Process for Small Capital Grants, click here or call 1.800.263.2887 to find a Program Manager or Grants Associate in your area.

Application deadlines are March 1, July 1 and November 1. To be considered in each grant cycle, complete applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on the deadline date.

Sectors

We welcome applications in the arts and culture, environment, human and social services and sports and recreation sectors.

Priorities

OTF places priority on supporting organizations that work in the following areas to help Ontarians achieve their potential:

• Enhanced success for students and learners
• Healthier and more physically active Ontarians
• Enhanced employment and economic potential for workers and their families
• More effective volunteers and more people engaged in their communities
• OTF funds equipment only for personal use if the purpose of the proposal is to increase access to a group that has limited access. Equipment for personal use includes uniforms, costumes and equipment that cannot be reused by other people either concurrently or in the following season.

From OHA web site

OHA Region 1 NW Sub-Region Aboriginal Health Care Conference

Presented by Ontario Hospital Association
Course code: DL 650
October 24, 2006 - October 26, 2006

Location: Valhalla Inn, 1 Valhalla Inn Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A dramatic shift is occurring in the demographics of Ontario’s Aboriginal population. Accompanying that shift there is a significant change in the health service needs of the communities served by Ontario’s healthcare providers. Improving Aboriginal health poses a significant challenge to providers throughout Ontario. A collective, community approach is required to tackle underlying causes and to develop a framework that provides appropriate education and care to Aboriginal peoples.

One year ago, the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) Region 1 Northwest Sub Region presented Integration Coordination and Collaboration: an Aboriginal Health Conference. The program brought together health care and thought leaders from across the region to address a range of issues and offer proactive solutions.

Building on last year’s success, we would like to invite you to this year’s Aboriginal Health Care Conference, taking place October 24 to 26, 2006, at the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay. In attendance will be health care providers from hospitals and health agencies across the province.

Once again, there will be a Feature Poster Display showcasing innovation and best practices in Aboriginal health care.

AGENDA

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 (Evening)

1800h Pre-registration at the Valhalla Inn

1900h Conference Opening Drumming Circle
- Spirit Wind Drum Circle, Thunder Bay
- Prayer
- Welcome to Fort William First Nation Traditional Lands - Chief Peter Collins

1930h Opening Keynote Address - Mayor Lawrence Martin, Cochrane, Ontario

Lawrence Martin is the Juno Award winning Mayor of Cochrane and former Mayor of Sioux Lookout. Mr. Martin is an active member of the community, working with the homeless shelter in Cochrane and the finance committees of Cochrane. He has also been a member of TVOntario Board of Directors and music festival organizing committees.

2030h Networking Reception and Poster Board Exhibition

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

0730h Registration and Continental Breakfast
Poster Board Exhibit Room

0815h Opening Drum Song - Thomas Fiddler

Welcome and Introductions - Chair: Roger Walker , President & Chief Executive Officer, Sioux Lookout Meno-Ya-Win Health Centre

Hilary Short, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Hospital Association

0845h Keynote Address: Bringing Two World Views Together in Harmony and Balance through Design and Other Contextual Interventions - Douglas Cardinal, Architect

0945h Refreshment Break and Poster Exhibit

1000h Panel Discussion: Successful Collaborations in Telehealth - Moderator: Orpah McKenzie, Director, Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Panel Members:

• Donna Williams, Program Manager, KO Telehealth
• Dr. Bob Lester, Executive Vice President, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Lisa Sarsfield, Vice President Central & Northern, Operations and Corporate Services, Ontario Telemedicine Network
• Roy Keesickquayash, Telehealth Co-ordinator, Cat Lake First Nation
• Elder Vernon Wesley, Oncology Client, Cat Lake First Nation

1200h Lunch in the Poster Exhibit Room

1300h Concurrent Sessions A

1. Bimadziwin Storytelling and Teachings
   1st circle: Facilitator – Andy White - The drum: Heartbeat of the nation
   2nd circle: Facilitator – Ralph Johnson - The seven grandfather teachings
   3rd circle: Facilitator – Annie Wilson - Teachings of the birth
   4th circle: Facilitator – Freida MacDonald - What family and community mean to the Anishnabe
    
2. North West LHIN – “A Strong System, Healthy People...A Solid Future”
   Gwen Dubois Wing, Chief Executive Officer, NW LHIN
    
3. Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority - Janet Gordon, Director, Health Services
    
4. Cultural Competency and Safety - Danielle Soucy, Senior Policy Analyst, NAHO 

1430h Refreshment Break and Poster Exhibit

1500h Concurrent Sessions B

1. Continuation of 1300h Bimadziwin Storytelling and Teachings
    
2. Community Based Health & Wellness Report - Doug Wilson, Director of Health, Metis Nation of Ontario
    
3. Ontario Hospital Success stories
   - Hospital for Sick Children - Dr. Jean Wittenberg
   - Flora Waswa, Healthy Babies Co-ordinator, Fort Hope First Nation
   - Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, Dr. Peter Menzies
   - Rosie Mosquito, Executive Director, Oshki Pimache O-Win Institute
4. Aboriginal Health Human Resources - Victoria Gubbels, Manager, Aboriginal Employment Development, Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations

1645h Closing Drum Song - Thomas Fiddler

1730h Reception

1830h Dinner & Entertainment - Don Burnstick, Comedian, Counselor and Story Teller

Don Burnstick is a Cree from the Alexander First Nation located outside of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Don's young life was very violent. “I lived on the streets of Edmonton as an alcoholic and drug addict. In 1985, when I sobered up at 21, there were not too many 21 year old males that were alcohol and drug free so I just started asking to go and tell my story.” Burnstick obtained post secondary training at the University of San Diego in holistic urban youth development. He also has obtained certification as an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor and graduated from the Native Trainers Development program at the Nechi Institute in Edmonton. Don has now been involved within the healing/personal wellness movement for the past 20 years and has utilized humour and performance to provide a holistic approach to healing. His message speaks to a proud heritage, the importance of healing through humour and his continuing desire to leave a better world for our future generations. In addition to his healing work, Don has established himself as one of Canada’s best comedians of all time.

Thursday, October 26

0830h Continental Breakfast

0900h Opening Drum Song - Thomas Fiddler

0915h Opening Greetings - Howard Hampton, MPP Kenora-Rainy River and Leader of Ontario New Democratic Party

0930h General Session: “Aboriginal Health Status: Moving Forward”

• Al Garman, Director, Ontario Region, First Nations & Inuit Health Branch,
• Hanita Tiefenbach, Director, Intergovernmental & Aboriginal Policy Branch, Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care
• Assembly of First Nations speaker to be announced

1030h Refreshment Break

1045h Closing Speaker - Nishnawbe Aski Nation member of Executive Council to be announced

1145h Elders' Summary and Closing Comments - Josias Fiddler

Closing Remarks from the Chair - Roger Walker

Closing Prayer - Spirit Wind Drum Circle

1245h Adjournment
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Registration information: Space is not guaranteed, unless payment is received prior to the conference.

Conference Registration: $175.00 + $10.50 GST = $185.50

Conference Registration + Dinner & Entertainment:
$225.00 + $13.50 GST = $238.50

If more than one full registration is received from the same facility, a 15% discount (+ GST) will apply to the 2nd and each additional registration received. The first registrant must pay the full registration fee. All group registrations must be received at the same time. This discount is not valid with other program promotions.

Cancellation Policy

Once a registration is confirmed, all cancellations are subject to a $50 + GST cancellation fee and must be made a minimum of one week prior to the program date. After this time, the program fee is non-refundable. Substitutions are welcome. The Educational Services Division reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a program.

Hotel Accommodation

If you require accommodations, please contact the Valhalla Inn at 807-577-1121 or 1-800-964-1121. Please be sure to indicate that you are attending the OHA conference to secure a special room rate of $129.00 for single/double occupancy. Please be sure to make your hotel reservation before October 9, 2006 as accommodations for that time period are filling up fast.

Click here to register on-line

Contact for further information:
Nicole Vanderwyst
Educational Services, Ontario Hospital Association
200 Front Street West, Suite 2800
Toronto, Ontario M5V 3L1
Phone: (416) 205-1352
Fax: (416) 205-1340

CALLING ALL YOUTH

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation Charitable Youth Trust Fund is sponsoring the first ever NAN-wide youth creative arts competition for youth.

Age categories are:

• JUNIOR CATEGORY 12-18 YEARS OLD
• SENIOR CATEGORY 19-29 YEARS OLD

The competition is open to all youth in the NAN territory. You can enter up to three (3) pieces of art in any medium with the following theme:

"Treaty Commemoration: Celebrating the Past, Present and Future"

The DEADLINE for submissions is OCTOBER 31, 2006.

For registration and more information call:

• Touchan Fiddler, Showcasing the Creative Spirit Coordinator @ 807-774-3421
• Catherin Cheechoo, Trust Fund President via NAN at 800-465-9952
• Email: showcasingthecreativespirit@knet.ca or ccheecho@nan.on.ca

Check out our web site at:

HTTP://SHOWCASINGTHECREATIVESPIRIT.MYKNET.ORG 

Types of mediums include but not limited to:

Painting; drawing; sketching; ceramics/glass; sculpture/installation; jewellery; photography; film/video; website design/graphic design; airbrushing; collage; printmaking; cravings; mixed media; essays; poetry; crafts (ie. beadwork, tamarack birds, birch bark baskets, quill work, moccasins, etc), masks, tattoos, traditional food preparation/recipes; plays; books; comics; storytelling; hand drum/powwow songs; fashion

To celebrate Canada's Healthy Workplace Week, October 23-29, 2006, the HealthWorks program at the Northwestern Health Unit is pleased to offer 5 new online presentations about workplace health promotion!

To view these presentations:

• Visit the Healthworks website at http://www.nwohealthworks.org
• Click on the presentation links
• Listen and follow along!

These 15-20 minute presentations are great for your next EAP, wellness or occupational health and safety meeting!

Free of charge and available to everyone! Check them out at

WWW.NWOHEALTHWORKS.ORG

Northwestern Health Unit - 1-800-830-5978

From http://www.timminspress.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentID=236823&catname=Local+News

Attawapiskat declares state of emergency; Water quality major concern

Michael Peeling - October 19, 2006

Attawapiskat First Nation declared a state of emergency over the its water quality Wednesday after a series of public meetings and what some officials called a lack of government response to their requests for aid.

The results of water-quality testing done by First Nations Engineering Ltd. in August and symptoms of health problems in children and elders have the band council and citizens concerned that the water quality is deteriorating further.

"The band council had a meeting yesterday and decided to declare a state of emergency because we can't wait anymore to deal with our water issues and concerns about our reservoir," Deputy Chief Miriam Wesley told The Daily Press on Wednesday evening.

"Our sewage problems have been neglected too long, so we had a meeting with our public this afternoon, and they are also asking something be done right away."

Chief Mike Carpenter says the community is worried about the health risks from the water.

"We are very concern about this, especially over health problems that have appeared in children, elders rashes, infections, and other skin problem," Carpenter said in a press release.

Wesley said the province is sending up representatives from the Ontario Clean Water Agency today to deal with Attawapiskat's water worries.

She also said the Ministry of Health is sending people to do another water assessment on Saturday.

"So the government is responding, it's just a matter of whether or not they are going to do it," Wesley said.

In the public meeting Wednesday, residents complained to the tribal council of suffering from rashes and dizziness, a change in the taste of the drinking water.

The people of Attawapiskat ask that the government brings enough bottled water and an emergency water purification system while their water treatment system is assessed and made safe.

The tribal council and residents feel the water continues to be inadequately treated despite having a new water plant commissioned in 2001.

The reports from FNES showed the water contains 6.1 mg per litre of carbon instead of the legislated level of 5.9.

FNES project manager Mike Murray said a high level of carbon in the water can be a problem when chlorine is added, which he says is a common practice across all of Ontario.

The carbon and chlorine can form carcinogens - cancer-causing substances in the water.

FNES also tested for trihalomethanes, a combination of chemicals that can also be carcinogenic. The test result was 0.17 mg per litre, 0.07 higher than the standard acceptable level.

"Health Canada did some follow-up testing and they indicated that their levels of water quality were within acceptable ranges," Murray said.

The Health Canada test for trihalomethanes showed a level of 0.097 mg per litre, which Murray says could be accounted for by the shallowness of the lake from which Attawapiskat gets its water and its lack of contact with the air in the winter.

"Their raw water source changes characteristics throughout the year, which is one of the things that makes it more difficult to treat," Murray said.

As well, Wesley said the people of Attawapiskat want to decrease the high sodium level of the water, which can contribute to hypertension.

She said that as of Sept. 22, Health Canada had deemed the water drinkable, with no E. Coli, but the trihalomethanes and sodium are still too high, especially during the winter.

The band is also concerned that the water reservoir's close proximity to a landfill site and the airport are having ill-effects on the drinking water.

No plans have been made to evacuate Attawapiskat.

From http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061020.ONTWATER20/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario/

Reserve homes lack access to water, report says
KAREN HOWLETT

TORONTO -- The vast majority of homes on a remote native reserve in Northwestern Ontario have no access to basic water and sewage services, forcing most residents to use decrepit wooden outhouses and carry their drinking water by pail, according to a report released yesterday.

The primitive conditions on the Pikangikum reserve, a fly-in community about 200 kilometres north of Kenora, pose a danger to the health of its 2,300 residents, warns the report, prepared by the Northwestern Health Unit. The report says the four staff members who spent two days assessing the situation at the native community this year are all too familiar with the tainted tap-water plight on many reserves across the province.

"Nor are we naive, but we were all shocked at the extent of the neglect we witnessed," Dr. Pete Sarsfield, the health unit's chief executive officer, says in the report.

The reserve has a modern and adequate water treatment plant. The problem is that the plant is not connected to 95 per cent of the reserve's 367 houses. As a result, most residents travel to the plant to collect drinking water. But the plant is not accessible to many residents, leaving them drinking untreated water from the lake, the report says. Plastic containers used to transport drinking water to the local school and its 780 students are not cleaned or disinfected between fillings.

The majority of outhouses on the reserve are full and overflowing with sewage and many do not have doors, leaving residents at "high risk of illness," the report says. Health-care workers noted a higher incidence of gastrointestinal infections, as well as skin and urinary tract infections, than in other communities.

The report was tabled by the New Democrats in the legislature yesterday, one day after the government's Clean Water Act passed third and final reading.

The legislation is aimed at protecting drinking water from contamination.

The government may say that everyone in Ontario has a basic right to clean drinking water, but the legislation will do nothing to protect the residents of Pikangikum, NDP Leader Howard Hampton said.

"If you're an aboriginal person, you don't have that fundamental right," he said.

The conditions at Pikangikum are an eerie reminder of the contaminated water crisis at Kashechewan a year ago, when the Ontario government declared a state of emergency and brought out residents in need of medical attention.

"I continually write to [Indian Affairs Minister] Jim Prentice, saying you better take your responsibility seriously," David Ramsay, the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs in Ontario, told reporters. "We're very, very concerned about this and don't think the feds should be abdicating their responsibility."

But a spokesman for Mr. Prentice said the minister has taken steps to address the problem, including setting up an expert panel to come up with regulations to ensure there is safe drinking water on reserves across Canada.