Things my daughters hear while in the car with me: A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action Please

Although I am pleased that the Canadian Red Cross has finally stepped in to provide some temporary relief to the residents of the Attawapiskat First Nation, our government really needs to step up and do what is right here, hell do anything, do something, do their jobs!

The RNAO released a statement on the 23rd of Nov. advising that, "The living conditions some people in the northern Ontario community of Attawapiskat are being forced to endure are deplorable and dangerous to their health ."

When their own grade school was closed down 12 years ago, it took a 13 year old girl, Shannen Koostachin, to launch an international campaign to try and shame the government into providing the children in Attawapiskat with the same quality of education that children who live in the South have. In October they had to declare a State of Emergency because of their living conditions and only now is the government reacting, and that is probably because of public pressure a result of a Blog by MP Charles Angus that was in the Huffington Post.

No running water, no indoor heating or plumbing facilities, a bucket, really? What is it going to take, a child or an elder freezing to death? Winter is going to be here soon and someone is going to die, either by actually freezing to death or in an attempt to stay warm with an unsafe fire! Would you accept your child or your parents living in these conditions? I would go mad with sadness and anger.

I know just writing about it won’t help. I also know that this situation is not necessarily new or unique to Attawapiskat but rather something that many First Nation Communities face and have faced for far too long. Having said that, now that the mainstream media have brought attention to this situation, even if only for a fleeting moment, we should take advantage of the coverage and spread the word as much as possible. Blog about it, tweet about it, post about it, email about it, shout it from the rooftops so that as many Canadians as possible become aware of the appalling conditions the residents are forced to endure. It is shameful!

Contact the federal and provincial governments, and make them accountable instead of just pointing fingers at one another while nobody takes any responsibility and nothing is done. Apparently Officials from the Aboriginal Affairs department will be in Attawapiskat early next week, at least this is what Minister John Duncan told the House of Commons on Friday. Let’s hope it doesn’t just end up being more finger pointing and something concrete will finally be done because unless you are camping for fun in the summer, you shouldn't be forced to live in a tent.