Overview
- Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty’s office confirms Bill C-61 will be tabled this fall to affirm First Nations’ human right to clean drinking water
- Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz and Ontario counterpart Todd McCarthy sent a June 30 letter urging Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government to abandon the bill, citing economic competitiveness and project delays
- Originally introduced in the last Parliament, Bill C-61 lapsed after a lengthy committee review when Parliament was prorogued
- Indigenous Services Canada reports 37 long-term drinking water advisories remain in effect nationwide, with the majority in Ontario
- The federal government is calling on all Parliamentarians, provinces and territories to uphold reconciliation responsibilities by backing the proposed legislation