Mr. Speaker, I rise today because, unlike what lawyers for the Liberals are arguing when they fight first nations in court, we in the NDP believe in first nations' right to clean drinking water.
Canada shamefully argues that first nations are to blame for the lack of clean drinking water. Its lawyers even said, “Canada doesn't stop you from helping yourself.” On the one hand, Liberals in Parliament say that all first nations deserve clean drinking water, while on the other, Liberal-hired lawyers say in court that these are not statements that should be taken seriously.
If we cannot take Liberals' words seriously, let us look at their actions. It has now been 1,338 days since the Liberals promised to eliminate all long-term boil water advisories, with no end in sight. In my riding, Shamattawa First Nation and Tataskweyak Cree Nation are fighting the Liberals over that failure. The tap water in Berens River has been brown since May and is a danger to people's health, including people on dialysis.
It is time for the Liberals to call off their lawyers, recognize first nations' right to clean water, and deliver it.