Tristan Friesen’s Grade 5 and 6 students at Rouleau School are putting out a call to action and raising awareness of drinking water advisories on First Nation reserves. 

As part of their social studies class, the students were learning about why these issues are occurring and what is being done about it. 

“It's so important to realize that this is an issue in Canada and there are people here that don't have a basic human right,” Friesen said. 

Students have written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to keep his promise to end drinking water advisories and they also had former Carry-The-Kettle Nakoda First Nation water plant operator Deon Hassler as a guest speaker. 

Student Kiera Lunde learned that the issue of drinking water advisories is not new and dates back many years. 

“It affects Indigenous communities partially as a result of colonialism and the forced relocation to places where there is no safe water to drink,” she said. 

Fellow classmate Reese Brown noted that part of the problem lies with the water plants and who is operating them. 

“Another problem with clean water in Indigenous communities is other people who design their water plants don't necessarily design them for how they need it. Plus, these people need teachers to train them on how to properly design water plants for Indigenous communities,” Brown said. 

Camryn Krauss outlined some of the dangers those communities face if drinking water advisories continue. 

“These communities have been forced to drink unsafe drinking water. Advisories containing mass amounts of different contaminants. Specifically, these contaminants are viruses, bacteria, and chemical pollutants,” Krauss said. 

According to Indigenous Services Canada, as of Friday there were 34 drinking water advisories active with four under recommendation by environmental public health officials to be lifted across Canada. 

Here in Saskatchewan, there are advisories at the Ministikwan Lake Cree First Nation, Little Pine, Star Blanket Cree Nation and Okanese. There is a recommendation to lift a water advisory on Peepeekisis Cree Nation. 

Since November 2015, 131 advisories have been lifted across Canada, affecting 85 First Nation reserves. You can find a map of the current drinking water advisories on First Nations here.  

People can help by writing to the federal government or by donating to organizations such as the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association or the Safe Drinking Water Foundation. 

Below you can watch Mix 103’s Sharon Church in conversation with Friesen, Krauss, Brown and Lunde.