LETTER

Climate change and drinking water of the Ottawa

 

The land and water need protection from the effects of climate change. We do not want an example of citizens and politicians here looking the other way, as in Flint, Michigan.

 

As a grandmother with experience in six cultures, I invite you to join me and all our elected leaders, who are our voices for a healthier society and democracy, to walk the path of reconciliation with the Algonquin Grandmothers from Pikwakanagan, Ontario. All Nations, people and interfaith communities are invited to a massive march and sacred walk on Monday, May 30, at Victoria Island at 10 am to protect the sacred site behind Parliament Hill.

The sacred islands of Chaudière Falls Asinabka (known as Victoria), Chaudière and Albert are of deep spiritual significance to the Algonquin Anishinabe peoples. Their whole identity, their whole spirit is with the land and water.

Katherine Fletcher writes in Our Environment,  “Watersheds matter: Protecting the Dumoine River” that the province of Quebec recognizes this river (only) as a ‘habitat of significance’. I would love her to write an article on the Ottawa Algonquin Rivershed. How interesting that MP Will Amos is pushing for a Quebec or (in his mind) preferably federal National Park status, probably with a bow tied into the Algonquin Land claim on the land around the Dumoine River. We are also told that heritage river status for the Ottawa River will probably go ahead soon without Quebec’s approval, meaning only the Ontario side of the river will have heritage status! This does not make sense!   

What is the use of a Heritage River designation when the Ottawa River is dying and cannot flow to be cleansed? It is like having a blocked artery and not making a bypass -- like an imprisoned Ottawa River since the Ring Dam in 1908!  

Judith Matheson
Heart + Soul Light Centre
Gatineau (Aylmer)