Kashechewan First Nation is calling for the resignation of Mandy Gull-Masty, Canada’s minister responsible for Indigenous Services Canada.
In a March 5 open letter, community leaders said the minister has not visited the northern community, even though most of its roughly 2,300 residents have been evacuated over the past two months during an outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis.
The illness, caused by a parasite, has been linked to problems with the community’s water system. Six people have died since the emergency was declared, though officials have not confirmed if the deaths are related to the contaminated water.
Executive director Tyson Wesley said the minister had promised to visit Kashechewan but has not done so. A planned visit late last month was cancelled over logistical issues, which he believes were overstated.
Community members want the minister to come and hear their concerns, Wesley said, adding that it has been two months since the emergency began with little action from the federal government.
Chief Hosea Wesley said residents are frustrated after repeated requests for the minister to visit the community or one of the evacuation sites.
“Leadership in crisis means showing up,” he wrote, adding that many elders have been displaced and the community is grieving.
Engineers are now working with contractors to repair the water system, but there is still no clear timeline for when safe drinking water will return.
The situation could worsen as spring approaches, when melting ice on the nearby river often causes flooding and more evacuations. Leaders say the ongoing emergency is causing stress and frustration for many residents.
