First Nation students write to premier and local MP asking for Kashechewan support

– Photo supplied
By Sam Laskaris
WHITEFISH RIVER FIRST NATION – Students from a First Nation school on Birch Island are doing their part in the hope that government officials take some action for a struggling First Nation.
Residents in Kashechewan First Nation in Northern Ontario had their lives thrown into disarray when it was announced that the water treatment plant in their community was broken.
The First Nation declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4 because defective pumps prevented the water treatment plant from working.
Since then, many of Kashechewan members have been evacuated to other cities, including Kapuskasing, Timmins, Niagara Falls, and Kingston.
Students from Whitefish River First Nation’s Shawanosowe School, located in Birch Island, decided to try to help.
They wrote letters and drew pictures of the importance of water, which were mailed to Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Member of Parliament Jim Bélanger, who represents the riding of Sudbury East-Manitoulin-Nickel Belt.
Packages were mailed to Premier Ford and Bélanger on Jan. 21.
“It started when I saw a post on Facebook about the devastation that Kashechewan is facing,” said Gayle Payette, the principal at Shawanosowe School. “They were handed out a case of water to last for a while per family per household. And it was just, like, crazy.”
Payette shared that information with some of her staff members in a group post. They were shocked as well. A joint decision was made to try and assist. Options included fundraising or doing some advocacy work on behalf of Kashechewan residents.
“The teachers decided that it would be great to advocate to the government for them showing them support because it seems like not too many people are advocating for them right now,” Payette said.
Payette said Shawanosowe teachers informed their students of what was happening in Kashechewan, and the young students, ranging from those in Grades 1-6, wondered why government officials were not being more supportive.
“They have a lot of questions and they don’t understand themselves why a place in Canada, or even in Ontario, is being treated like that,” Payette said.
The students agreed they were keen to show support by writing letters and drawing pictures to government officials.
Payette also said having clean water every day is a necessity.
“For us as Anishinabek people, water is very sacred,” she added. “And it’s just very overwhelming that they don’t even have the basics to survive at this moment.”
A letter from Payette was attached to the packages sent to Premier Ford and Bélanger. The letter read in part as follows: “I do understand that there have been attempts to support; however, the band-aid solutions are not enough. I implore you as leaders of this province and country to make your voice heard, make decisions that support the needs of this particular community before it advances beyond repair.”
Payette is hoping to receive a response from the politicians.
“I’m hoping that they’ll listen to students because it seems that they’re not listening to community and community members,” she said. “And I’m hoping that they’ll see the impact that they’re having on the younger generation. And now that the younger generation is starting to voice and stand up for themselves and for other human beings, I’m hoping that the government will see that this is really important and we really need to support that.”
Kashechewan First Nation is located in a flood plain. Community members have often been evacuated due to flood risks. Government officials have in the past made commitments to relocate the community, but that has not materialized.
“I hope that they’ll advocate and do what they can to support Kashechewan in getting an up-to-grade water treatment plant or to move ahead with the relocation of the community as they promised in the past,” Payette said. “The impact is just devastating. And it’s like there’s a third world country right in our own province.”

