Nunavummiut ‘privileged’ with clean water: UN expert
Acknowledging there were problems, Pedro Arrojo-Agudo highlighted how clean and uncontaminated Nunavut’s drinking water is
Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, speaks in Ottawa after visiting Nunavut on April 9 as part of an 11-day tour of Canada discussing water safety and sanitation with Indigenous stake-holders and government officials. (Photo by Jorge Antunes)
Nunavut is “privileged” to have such safe drinking water, says a United Nations expert on sanitation and drinking water.
Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, spoke to reporters in Ottawa Friday after spending nearly the past two weeks in Canada — including Nunavut — at the invitation of the federal government.
His tour included a day in Iqaluit, where he met with Government of Nunavut officials, elders, and representatives from the Nunavut Water Board, municipalities, Nunavut’s three regional Inuit organizations and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
Arrojo-Agudo said he was surprised to learn that many people in the North get their water straight from the source such as rivers and lakes.
“That makes sense to me, because we are talking about a [region] that, in principle, there are no sources of contamination,” he said.
Arrojo-Agudo, who had never visited Canada’s Arctic, called the area “pristine.”
While acknowledging there are problems, he said the purity of Nunavut’s water is a “privilege.”
During his trip, he also visited Indigenous communities and other stakeholders in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.
Among his preliminary and Nunavut-specific recommendations, he suggested the federal government should ensure funding and resources it directs into the territory should take climate change and its impacts into consideration.
He praised the recently signed Nunavut devolution agreement.
“This is undoubtedly an opportunity to showcase a unique form of governance, provided it has the effective participation of the Inuit people, that traditional practices and knowledge of the land and coast … should be taken into account.”
In Nunavut, a lack infrastructure was cited as a concern, including treatment plants and facilities for distribution.
“Of course, also significant investment and resources will be needed to manage water and sanitation in these harsh climatic conditions,” Arrojo-Agudo said.
Inuit have a long tradition of dealing with historical climate conditions in the territory, but climate change is something new and is creating unique challenges, he said.
Issues such as rising sea levels, melting permafrost and water sources becoming saltier are all new.
During his time in Iqaluit he visited the water treatment plant, the site of a fuel leak which led to a water crisis starting in 2021 and which the community is still dealing with today with an improved water system in the works.
He said he was assured by local officials the problem is being managed and the primary concern is ensuring sufficient capacity for the growing city.
In April 2022, the federal government committed $214 million to improve Iqaluit’s water infrastructure, including funding for a second reservoir near Lake Geraldine. The completion of that project is still several years away.
Arrojo-Agudo noted that he had been provided a copy of the Government of Nunavut’s Drinking Water Strategic Framework.
He called it a highly technical document but noted a distinct lack of input from Inuit.
“Technical issues are important, but an even more important question is, ‘What do we want? What are the values at stake? What is the specificity of this territory, of this culture?’
“It is important for the territorial government to guarantee an active or proactive Inuit participation,” Arrojo-Agudo said.
There needs to be a “convergence” between local knowledge and tradition as well as new technologies and processes, he said.
The special rapporteur will present a full report to the UN Human Rights Council at its 57th session in September.
considering some of the places he has been to and seen he is on track.
There has been no special rights or advantages to the clean water. Simply isolation. There are no great advantages besides accidental ones of clean water.
And the water treatment plants just appeared out of thin air one day………..
WHY is our federal government inviting someone from the UN to determine whether Canada has drinking water. Are we not a sovereign nation? Don’t we have drinking-water expertise in Canada? This is an invasion of our sovereignty.
We don’t need UN ‘experts’ meddling in Canadian affairs.
We need to turf the UN yokels and we need to turf the federal Liberal Party yokels who invited the UN yokels.
Gee, did I say something that hurt feelings or otherwise disturbed someone? Does someone have a reason to disagree with my comments?
Doubt it.
More likely they see you as a fodder, not worth their time.
If you knew anything of the workings of governments around the world, UN rapporteurs come calling to all participant nations every 5 years or so with the consent of said governments.
I find it amusing ,, to see inuks buying bottled at the stores. When me and my family go hunting or fish , we find a creek , scoup some water and cook and drink tea with it , not bring our store bought bottled water.
They’re coming after Nunavut water next. First the land. Now the water.
It’s going to be illegal to drink your own water. Feds will regulate it and enforce “the law.”
Maybe they will start sending bottles of water to other parts of the world. In places where they will need it. Where people live in war torn countries. Where corruption lies.
I m sure , they will take it from our backyard and of course , we will be paid peanut for it.
Watch out Nunavut. The world is after your clean water next.
First, your land. Now your water.
“Since Nunavut residents are doing it wrong, we’ll have to manage their waters for them.. ”
U.N.
It will be illegal to drink water from Nunavut unless you have a permit.
Maybe nunavut should start selling bottled water to the south
Could call it “NunAgua”. Anyone wanna invest?
Batter up!!
I can just imagine all the stressful paper work.
A large scale bottling plant in Nunavut would be completely dependent on TFW’s.
Here we have a member of the U.N. sticking their agenda on the Inuit living in ca na da. It’s bad enough that the U.N. decides to pick and choose what part of the world they believe people may need help with human rights. Why don’t they just agree with Israel and help out thus great country instead of turning their backs on them. Or, visit and investigate the First Nation’s Reservations and check their polluted waters that are not safe to consume. Or, help stop the human smuggling across the world instead of being bought off for greed. U.N is just window shopping to show the public that they are concerned for the people they believe are naive and uneducated. Shame on the U.N for being a false organization who they wuld like other people to see them as. They are nothing but a bunch of greedy people looking for free handouts.
The UN is nothing but a whore house.
The United Nations was established after World War II in an attempt to maintain international peace and security and to achieve cooperation among nations on economic, social, and humanitarian problems. Its forerunner was the League of Nations, an organization conceived under similar circumstances following World War I. On 1 January 1942, Churchill, Roosevelt, Maxim Litvinov of the USSR, and T. V. Soong of China signed a short document. This document later became known as the Declaration by United Nations. The next day, representatives of 22 other nations (including Canada) added their signatures. The governments that signed this declaration pledged to accept the Atlantic Charter. They also agreed not to negotiate a separate peace with any of the Axis powers.
On Google History for an explanation of NATO. This message is brought to you by John Paul Murphy II
What is your point?
This is a show and tell visit. To make it look like Canada is look after indigenous peoples yet make First Nation people have been under boil water advisories for years.
Sadly, many of the First Nations are masters of their own misfortune. The mismanagement and waste of funds that have been allocated for clean water should be a national scandal.
That is not true. Safe water issues in most aboriginal communities in Canada are a result of jurisdictional grey areas between federal and provincial gov’ts. It is not the fault of the people who were put in reserves that lack basic access to biologically- and ecologically- productive areas (farm lands and access to safe water, say)
Oops! United Nations exhibit in Nunavut is a set-up. When they reach their office, they will put their fingers to their behind and put in up their nose.
John, when I read this comment I can’t help but think you’ve “been there.”
Is that accurate?
Research, horses’ mouth information, and reading actual info helps.
He should have been told that the waters on mainland is drying up. Ponds, lakes, creeks, rivers are all drying up.
Nunavut currently has access to clean drinking water. However, mining and drilling activities may change this. In the years 2018-2019, a geologist raised concerns about a large gasoline spill by drillers near White Rock. The company did not report the incident. When the geologist complained and voiced his concerns, his complaints were ignored. He was never contacted to come up north again.
I’m sure you are right.
However, I suspect that snowmobiles and quads that have broken through thin ice and left there are a bigger threat…… if either does indeed qualify as a threat.
Not to mention the millions of cigarette butts that get tossed on the ground every year, leeching harmful chemicals into the environment.
I think the only Great Lake left now is Superior – and that is only like a mudhole, at the moment.
That goes without saying, most provinces are seeing the same thing right now. That being said, the provinces will be dust bowls before Nunavut in in trouble.
If the provinces become dust bowls, Nunavut will be in trouble