Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
My name is Chief Joe Miskokomon. I come from the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. I'd also like to introduce a councillor of ours and a youth representative, Kingson Huff.
I wish to acknowledge, first of all, that we are on the land and territory of the Algonquins of the Anishinabe. I also wish to acknowledge that our ancestors and our natural life, lands and waterways exist here. I also wish to acknowledge the government and the representatives at this table for undertaking this arduous task towards clean, safe drinking water and infrastructure for first nations.
I'd like to begin my conversation by first of all supporting the delegation from the Chiefs of Ontario and their representation in terms of the critical need to advance this issue in a way that has sustainable funding. I want to delve into funding for a bit.
There are actually no new suggestions for turning jurisdiction over to first nations in order to create economic modelling so that, as either individuals or collectives, we'll be able to design our own economic models that would be reasonable and sustainable within a local geographical area. I think it's important to empower not only the proposed water commission but also first nations in not only recognizing but also promoting ways to create sustainable water solutions within their regions.
It's no longer good enough for ISC to simply come to the table and say, “Because you're close to the city of London, you should be able to connect to the Huron pipeline. It's more affordable.” In fact, we have gone through 20 years of looking for solutions to solve the water problem at Chippewa. All that has happened is that we've had to do study after study for some 20 years. At this point, when the government comes to us and says, “Well, you can connect to the municipal pipeline,” no one even knows whether that pipeline can sustain the growth of the regional economy within the city of London. No one has done that study. We are one of the fastest-growing regions in Canada, with proposed high-speed rail coming in the near future. Growth has been exponential within the city of London.
Let me give you an example of how, in fact, some of that growth has impacted us. We're monitoring the Thames River or the Deshkan Ziibi that flows past our community. Seven million litres of partially treated or raw sewage have overflowed into that river over the past five years.
Let's put that into perspective, ladies and gentlemen. That is equivalent to 537 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The impact on that river.... We can no longer get sustenance from that river. It is far too polluted, regardless of whether or not it's within the environmental guidelines of Ontario. There is a cumulative effect in that river. The amount of damage ecologically and environmentally that has taken place over my lifetime is pronounced, to say the least. That is where one of our major sources of water comes from—the aquifer of that river.
We have band-aid solutions to water filtration systems. We have a 35-year-old distribution system in the community that is unsustainable. At this point, we're operating at 115% and breaking down almost on a daily basis. When there is a power surge or outage, the system goes down. We're on the brink of collapse over any length of time.
While, in fact, this is an opportunity to look at new legislation, I challenge you to say that it is also an opportunity for you to look at new possibilities for first nations. How can we, situated as close as we are to the city of London, partake in the economic growth that is currently going on in our region, when in fact we do not have reliable, sustainable or affordable infrastructure to offer industry?
We are not in a natural resource-based area. We are in a manufacturing and production area that requires labour reform, economic reform and infrastructure reform. The price of land and housing, as we all know, is a critical element. It is going up in our area, and we cannot sustain it.
I would ask you to look at this very critical issue. View it from this point: If there is an economic region that can come forward with new ideas for sustainability, affordability and development, give us the opportunity and back us with a long-term financial solution. We're not coming here for upfront money. We're coming here for brokerage money in order to invest in our communities so that we can invest in the economy and, therefore, coordinate and collaborate with the municipalities around us on that economic and sustainable growth.
I thank you very much, Chairman, for your time.