‘No clear fix in sight: ’ Oneida Nation of the Thames still boiling water on Truth and Reconciliation Day

Oneida Nation of the Thames still boiling water on Truth and Reconciliation Day. Brent Lale reports.

Chris Patriquin knows the importance of clean drinking water. The member of Oneida Nation of the Thames makes filtered water for a living and delivers it daily to First Nations.

“In my opinion, the first step to Truth and Reconciliation is ensuring every Indigenous community has clean, safe drinking water,” Patriquin said during an event in St. Thomas, Ont. Tuesday.

“It’s been six years now, when in 2019 they issued a boil water advisory. We are still here with no clear fix in sight.”

He is frustrated with the hold up.

“Whether it is politics, whether it’s dollars. but there’s an issue there,” said Patriquin. “I’m calling on the Federal Government and Indigenous Services Canada to ensure that every Indigenous community in Canada has clean, safe drinking water.”

Tuesday afternoon hundreds of people gathered on Talbot Street in St. Thomas to recognize Truth and Reconciliation Day with a ceremony in front of City Hall.

They had dancers, drummers, speakers, a flag raising and a fire ceremony.

“Truth and Reconciliation Day and Orange Shirt Day just means remembering the survivors or the residential schools,” said Betty Jean Phillips-Budden, a co-organizer of the event.

She decided something needed to be done in her community once the 215 unmarked graves were found in Kamloops, BC in 2021.

“I just cried on my couch about it and I saw all across Canada, people were doing walks and memorials. No one was doing anything in St. Thomas so I thought I’ll do it.”

With the help of the City of St. Thomas, the event continues to grow. This year they closed off a one-block section of the main street and involved 210 children.

“We had a story time for them and they painted some rocks,” said Phillips-Budden.

“I think it’s important having them here and being able to tell them the story from me, an inter-generational survivor. I don’t know what they teach in school? They all knew about residential schools, but I don’t know how much they knew about residential schools? So I just tried to tell them the truth in their age group”.

Patriquin says it is a day of reflection and education.

“It’s an important day for us to come together with all Canadians to share stories, about intergenerational trauma and about what’s carried on from these schools that have gone from generation to generation,” said Patriquin.

“It’s important that we talk about it.”