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CSJ Blue Community Updates - December 2019
It has been two years since the CSJ became a Blue Community and we are playing an important role in protecting water as human right, shared commons, and sacred gift.
In 2019 the project:
- visited each Sister house to outline the major water issues and connect them to your local watershed
- presented in schools, parishes, and important events to widen the circle of water protectors
- increased our community's understanding of why this Blue Community initiative is important and what our role can be
- designed and distributed thousands of coasters, postcards, buttons, and stickers to share our core messages
- connected with other organizations, faith groups, and Indigenous commununties to build water solidarity
- invited your advocacy to Federal and Provincial governments about the lack of clean water on First Nations reserves and the deniel of new bottled water permits
- added 15 new blog posts to our website with renewed content every few months for events, actions, and resources
- surveyed this community for your reflections and directions
- and much more. What was most memorable for you?In 2020 the project will:
- design an educational poster with accompanying video
- visit Rochester, Hay River, Orillia, Cobourg, Peterborough and more cities to present our message
- deepen and extend the work done in 2018 and 2019 with your support and leadership
What would you like to see in 2020 for the Blue Community project?
Visit the website and contact Paul at:
www.BlueCommunityCSJ.org
blue.communities.now@gmail..com
Here are a few recent news items you might be interested in:ONTARIO
‘We’re in a David-and-Goliath situation.’ Small Ontario town taking on Nestle to save its water
Front page of Toronto Star yesterday. Please share widely.
https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news-story/9778589--we-re-in-a-david-and-goliath-situation-small-ontario-town-taking-on-nestle-to-save-its-water/
Consider sending a letter to the editor of Toronto Star to express your support for denying Nestle permit to take water in Centre Wellington, and to phase out their existing permits to take water in Aberfoyle and Hillsburgh. Send your contribution to Letters to the Editor via email to lettertoed@thestar.ca; via fax to 416-869-4322; or by mail to One Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M5E 1E6. Letters must include full name, address and all phone numbers of sender (daytime, evening and cellphone). Street names and phone numbers will not be published. Star reserves the right to edit letters, which typically run 50-150 words.
CANADA
The secrets of Canada's tap water, explained
Would it surprise you to know drinking water in some Canadian cities contains unsafe levels of lead? A year-long investigation by more than 120 journalists from nine universities and 10 media organizations found some disturbing answers. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians could be consuming tap water laced with high levels of lead leaching from aging infrastructure and plumbing, a large collection of newly-released data and documents reveals.
See the 7 minute video here: https://youtu.be/l0h55NoUBmgTHUNDER BAY
Over 200 classes worldwide participate in Junior Water Walkers initiative inspired by Late Josephine Mandamin
“I was actually working on a virtual Google Earth story that took kids on a virtual field trip around the five Great Lakes,” Cameron says. “So it was incredible that I could have Josephine come to speak to my students — my kids took Josephine on a virtual field trip and Josephine then told my students about her walk to bring awareness on the need to protect water. My students told Josephine they would do their part to carry on her legacy and her walk and become Junior Water Walkers.”
Project lead: Peter Cameron, a Lakehead University alumnus and Grade 5/6 teacher at St. Elizabeth’s School in Thunder Bay.
https://anishinabeknews.ca/2019/12/11/over-200-classes-worldwide-participate-in-junior-water-walkers-initiative-inspired-by-late-josephine-mandaminTORONTO
Toronto launches $3B project to improve water quality in Lake Ontario and city's waterways
"Currently, when a major storm hits our city... and dumps huge quantities of rain water onto the city… the wastewater system goes into overdrive to prevent major flooding," Mayor John Tory said Saturday.As the water rushes in, Tory said, the system pushes wastewater overflows into the rivers and into Lake Ontario when it reaches a certain threshold.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-storm-water-wastewater-management-program-1.5396886HAMILTON
Hamilton’s Chedoke Creek sewage spill
The City of Hamilton has been ordered to come up with another report on the spill of 24 billion litres of sewage that seeped into Chedoke Creek over four years.
https://globalnews.ca/news/6248469/second-report-hamilton-chedoke-creek-sewage-spill/OTTAWA
Hopewell school in Ottawa on way to becoming first elementary school Blue Community
Hopewell Avenue Public School in Ottawa is working towards the distinction of being the first elementary school designated as a “Blue Community.” The school, which is home to more than 900 students in Kindergarten to Grade 8, welcomed Council of Canadians Honorary Chairperson Maude Barlow and Water Campaigner Vi Bui in their gymnasium today and listened to them speak about the importance of protecting water.
https://canadians.org/blog/hopewell-school-ottawa-way-becoming-first-elementary-school-blue-community