Water

First Nations Health Emergency (Example Letter)

SUBJECT:

Help Indigenous Peoples During the Emergency Heath Crisis

BODY:

I am a university student and am non-Indigenous.

I am aware of Indigenous Peoples “officially” calling for help due to a suicide epidemic, and the lack of proper medical care in their communities. The harm being done is not only affecting the people living on reserves, but is harming all Canadians as we work towards resolving our past history. We must work towards a positive future that we can all be proud of and feel is nurturing to ourselves and future generations.

The quality of life that Indigenous people on reserves are currently receiving does not reflect the Canada that I want to support and I urge you to help make this right as quickly as possible.

The water quality in these reserves are pitiful and I am incredibly disappointed with the way our government has chosen to ignore the issues. It is racist, and by doing nothing to help with the suicide/health epidemic, you are helping to continue (and promote) the genocide that has been occurring for hundreds of years on this land.

Are you able to empathize with the people who have lost their children, mothers, elders and friends because of our “do nothing” approach?

What is being done to address these issues? Surely you would not enjoy living in these disturbing situations, and I hope you never do.

Sincerely concerned and interested to have a response,

David Zimmer
Email: dzimmer.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Address:
Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
Suite 400
160 Bloor Street East
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2E6
Tel: 416-325-5110

Justin Trudeau
Email: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca
Address:(No postage required!)
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Tel: 1 613 995-0253

(more…)

First Nations declare health emergency

TORONTO — First Nations leaders from northern Ontario declared a public-health emergency on Thursday related to what they called a dire shortage of basic medical supplies and an epidemic of suicides among young people.

I cannot believe it! We have to put a stop to this injustice. Let’s all DO SOMETHING.

Contact David Zimmer, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, our Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne (directly from this link) or send our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau a letter with your thoughts. Share this information with people who may not have access to this kind of news.

If you want to speak up, but do not have the words or are not sure where to begin, use this letter I sent as a reference.

David Zimmer
Email: dzimmer.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Address:
Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
Suite 400
160 Bloor Street East
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2E6
Tel: 416-325-5110

Kathleen Wynne
https://correspondence.premier.gov.on.ca/en/feedback/default.aspx

Justin Trudeau
Email: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca
Address:(No postage required!)
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Tel: 1 613 995-0253

Source: First Nations declare health emergency – TimminsToday.com

In New York there are Six Nations Against Fracking – Documentary

Please click-through and watch the video on Vimeo!

Be mindful of the actions you partake in and if those actions help to continue life, or destroy it.

2 years after this film was made, fracking is still an issue. Do you think we will ever open our eyes and begin to make vital changes? Or is the future too far away to plan for…

—

Relevant posts:

Fracking our lives away

Resource Extraction and it’s impact on peoples’ health

Melting Ice with Beet Juice??

Who needs that yucky, salty de-icer when you can just pour some beet juice on it!

Save animal paws, trees, plants and our water systems from the impact of road salt by clicking Beet Juice Mania to watch a video about how it’s done!

Hey, why don’t you let me know how it works?

It hasn’t snowed much in Peterborough, otherwise I would have tried it out myself…

Wildlife Entanglement

Marine wildlife death by entanglement is something we should all be aware of. Thousands of miles and literally tons of derelict rope and fishing nets are littered into our water.

I found out that there are 682 beaches out there. We must keep them clean and safe in order to sustain life on this planet. So let’s support a good cause and help clean up fishing nets!

Check out the link below to learn about what is done to prevent marine wildlife entanglement.

Source: Wildlife Entanglement – Planet Love Life

Marine Debris Awareness | Recycled Nautical Rope Bracelets

Bracelets for a good cause! Help support coastal & beach cleanup projects by purchasing a stylish nautical rope bracelet. available in blue, green, brown & grey.

Source: Marine Debris Awareness | Recycled Nautical Rope Bracelets – Planet Love Life

A friend of mine shared this with me and I think it would be one of the best ways to give a gift this year! They are so beautiful, too.

Check out my post about plastic in our oceans if you want to know more.

Where do the provinces stand on climate change? Find out here!

With climate talks well underway at COP21, where do the provinces stand on climate change and what are their strategies moving ahead?

So far it looks like Quebec is doing the best.

Source: Where do the provinces stand on climate change? | rabble.ca

Contamination of Country Food + MEGA DAM

I am in class learning about the current issues connected to Indigenous Enviornmental Studies and I couldn’t help myself from laughing at HEAVY METALS in our soil deposited by MEGA DAMS.
I know… I am awful.

I’ve decided someone needs to start an Eco-Metal band called MEGA DAM.
Start a band with me or steal my idea and show me what you do with it.* This is me being super-serious.

—-

* better give me cred, yo.

The Boat and the Bomb (2005) – Full Length Documentary

A documentary about the sinking of Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior in 1985 on their way to protest France’s nuclear testing in the Pacific.

I am doing a presentation about this historic event in class today. I thought it may be important to know some of the history behind groups like Greenpeace and their efforts for a better, more sustainable world.