This article was posted on Nation Talk, 2010/11/22
Water is considered a basic human right according to many international treaties, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
But in CANADA, running water is not available to INDIGENOUS PEOPLE living in Manitoba. The Island Lake area of four reserves has a population of 10,000 and half of its homes DO NOT HAVE RUNNING WATER.
The Indigenous people of the Island Lake region have less clean water than people living in refugee camps overseas.
This isn’t happening in the third world, it’s happening in one of the WORLD’S RICHEST COUNTRIES.
Indigenous people in Canada live in third world conditions and MOST CANADIANS are NOT even AWARE of it.
If you CARE ABOUT PEOPLE in this country, if you are ASHAMED OF OUR GOVERNMENT and the way it treats Indigenous people, then take a stand.
Why should CANADA’S INDIGENOUS people be treated like THIRD WORLD CITIZENS?
Join us in the “WATER IS A HUMAN RIGHT” campaign to make Canada adhere to the same standards the United Nations says are rights FOR ALL.
We have prepaid postcards to the Prime Minister of Canada using the image above. They are available at AMC, 2nd floor, 275 Portage Ave., Winnipeg. You can also sign the online petition on the right or join our facebook group, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.
For More Information:
Winnipeg Free Press: No Running Water
Is an investigative series of the lack of running water on First Nations Communities in the Island Lake region of Manitoba, for full story and details please visit: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/no-running-water/
United nation general assembly declares access to clean water and sanitation is a human right:
28 July 2010 – Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights, the General Assembly declared today, voicing deep concern that almost 900 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water.
UN News Centre
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsid=35456&cr=sanitation&Cr1
Winnipeg Free Press – Poor sanitation, poor health
(story on Jacob Flett, child in postcard campaign photo)
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/no-running-water/without/Poor-sanitation-poor-health-106368494.html
United Nations News Centre
1 October 2010 – The main United Nations body dealing with human rights has affirmed that the right to water and sanitation is contained in existing human rights treaties, and that States have the primary responsibility to ensure the full realization of this and all other basic human rights.
While the General Assembly declared in July that safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights, this is the first time that the Human Rights Council has declared itself on the issue….
Right to water and sanitation is legally binding, affirms key UN body
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/rightowater/en/
Assembly of First Nations
http://www.afn.ca/article.asp?id=2844
Council for Canadians: Acting for Social Justice
http://www.canadians.org/water/index.html
Right to Water
http://www.righttowater.ca/
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
http://www.manitobachiefs.com/water/index.html
Please go to the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and sign the ‘Water is a Human Right’ petition.
Water_Is_A_Human_Right_POSTCARD
This postcard is produced by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.
Please download and print your own postcard and mail.
Note from Empty Glass for Water… please mail an empty glass for water to the Prime Minister of Canada asking him to get safe water to our communities in Manitoba! Miigwech.
Drinking Water Source – International Blog!…
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