Grand Chief Arlen Dumas’ Statement of Support for Chief Doreen Spence of the Tataskweyak Cree Nation as the lead plaintiff in a certified Class Action lawsuit brought against the Federal Government
July 17, 2020
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
AMC Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17th, 2020
Grand Chief Arlen Dumas’ Statement of Support for Chief Doreen Spence of the Tataskweyak Cree Nation as the lead plaintiff in a certified Class Action lawsuit brought against the Federal Government
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) is applauding a recent court decision to allow a class action to proceed regarding the right of First Nations to seek compensation from the federal government for First Nations that have been under drinking and/or boil water advisories.
A recent decision by Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal allows for a number of First Nations to become part of the class action lawsuit seeking compensation and action to immediately provide clean drinking water on First Nation reserves.
AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas said, “It is the year 2020, and somehow we are still tasked with ensuring that First Nations in Manitoba and across Canada have access to clean drinking water: a basic human need and right. It is unacceptable that First Nations here in Manitoba have needed to continually advocate and explain the urgency behind the need for clean drinking water. This class action is finally a mechanism for First Nations to seek compensation for the years of neglect and delay by the federal government and a way to ensure all First Nations have immediate access to clean drinking water through a collective First Nations-led approach and upgraded infrastructure.
This class action would also seek to force the federal government to construct, or approve and fund the construction of, appropriate water systems for the First Nation class members.
Grand Chief Arlen Dumas concluded, “We applaud Chief Doreen Spence and the Tataskweyak Cree Nation for leading the way on this critically important national issue. This legal action for what is a breach of basic Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and to seek action and compensation for her community while also allowing other First Nations to join the class action will have national and lasting implications that will benefit First Nations across the country. Clean drinking water should not be something that First Nations need to fight for in 2020 and we stand behind Chief Spence and all First Nations that stand up for their rights.”
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For more information, please contact:
Stacia Franz
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: sfranz@manitobachiefs.com
Phone: 204-292-1504
About the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of 62 of the 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 151,000 First Nation citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe (Ojibway), Nehetho / Ininew (Cree), Anishininew (Ojibwe-Cree), Denesuline (Dene) and Dakota Oyate (Dakota) people.