It looks like the City of Yellowknife wants to shut down the summer water lines that pipes water through the Flats, the Old Town, and to Ndilo. Not cool.

That waterline has been running to the end of Latham Island since the first houses were built in Ndilo. That was in the 1960SA国际影视传媒檚, and the City wants to shut it down? Shame on you.

Apparently, City staff spend a lot of time getting that water line running and maintaining it, so the staff is recommending to SA国际影视传媒渟hut SA国际影视传媒榚r downSA国际影视传媒�, as Cowboy Joe would say.

In fact, city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett is an Old Town resident, and Cabin Radio quotes her as saying, SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been a little bit of a perk to myself and my neighbours, I get that. But itSA国际影视传媒檚 not sustainable.SA国际影视传媒�

Well, no, itSA国际影视传媒檚 not a perk. People along that summer waterline only get unlimited water for three months and everybody else uses as much water as they want for the whole year. So, itSA国际影视传媒檚 not a perk unless itSA国际影视传媒檚 a perk for the rest of Yellowknife to get unlimited water year-round.

People on YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 main water and sewer system can flush the toilet, have a shower, and do laundry any time they want. Many people with trucked water canSA国际影视传媒檛 do that, except in the summer.

One Old Town person said many houses she goes to have a sign in the bathroom that says SA国际影视传媒淚f itSA国际影视传媒檚 yellow, let it mellow; if itSA国际影视传媒檚 brown, flush it down.SA国际影视传媒� Others have, SA国际影视传媒渇lush toilet sparingly.SA国际影视传媒�

So ya, that water line is not a perk. It allows people to consume water properly for a while. It allows people to shower more than once or twice a week and to do their laundry when they need to, instead of wearing dirty clothes for an extra week.

For some, it means they donSA国际影视传媒檛 need to go to a laundromat to do laundry. For others, it means being able to water their garden and lawn and to contribute to green spaces by watering the trees.

To boot another person said, SA国际影视传媒淟ook at the fires around us. Yet, the City wants to cut off the water line, which we would use to sprinkle our roofs and surrounding areas during a fire.SA国际影视传媒�

We donSA国际影视传媒檛 give our consent!

Ndilo Chief Fred Sangris reminded me that when Michel Sikyea was on Band Council, he went to Dr Stanton because the city was charging for water. Michel said something like SA国际影视传媒渨hite people started the gold mines and make lots of money from them. They ruined our water and we canSA国际影视传媒檛 drink from the lake anymore. Now you want to charge us for water that we always drank for free.SA国际影视传媒�

The Town of Yellowknife began delivering free water to Ndilo for a while. Probably till Dr Stanton was no longer on City Council

Fred says that once again Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) is getting the shaft. He said, SA国际影视传媒淔irst, they got the gold out of Giant Mine and we got the shaft. As a matter of fact, we got a shaft full of arsenic.SA国际影视传媒� Eschia (take it easy, eh!)

He says the City sent YKDFN a letter informing them of their plan to discontinue the water line. The Band replied and explained their concerns.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 their consultation I guess,SA国际影视传媒� said Fred. SA国际影视传媒淏ut today is not like when Giant Mine started. Today we use Free Prior and Informed Consent in everything. We have to consent for the City to proceed. And we donSA国际影视传媒檛 give our consent!SA国际影视传媒� Whew.

So, why is Fred saying the Yellowknives Dene have to give their consent before the City can shut down the summer waterline? ItSA国际影视传媒檚 because Canada signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP.) And so has the NWT. Article 19 of UNDRIP refers to Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

A United Nations website says, SA国际影视传媒淔ree, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) allows Indigenous Peoples to provide, withhold, or withdraw consent, at any point, regarding projects impacting their territories. FPIC allows Indigenous Peoples to engage in negotiations to shape the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of projects.SA国际影视传媒�

Shutting off the taps to Ndilo is SA国际影视传媒渋mpacting their territories,SA国际影视传媒� so, it seems the City has to negotiate with the Yellowknives Dene about it.

Chief Sangris says SA国际影视传媒渋tSA国际影视传媒檚 not only drinking water; itSA国际影视传媒檚 everything else. The water line is key to growing our own food. We started gardening a few years ago, and people are really getting into it. Shutting off the taps would shut off our gardening.SA国际影视传媒�

Fred says, SA国际影视传媒淢any of our houses have small water tanks. If there are 6 or 7 people in a house, they can easily run out of water, and it costs $100 to fill the tank on a callout. So no, we do not consent to the City of Yellowknife shutting off the water line.SA国际影视传媒�

I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know about you, but this is one issue ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to keep track of.