Ontario environment minister apologizes for 'confusion' over clean water bill letter

Liam Casey · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 11, 2025 1:41 PM EDT | Last Updated: July 11

Ontario's situation curate has apologized to First Nation chiefs for immoderate "confusion" his missive caused erstwhile helium asked the national authorities to not reintroduce a measure that would enshrine cleanable drinking h2o rights successful law.

But galore First Nations are not accepting what they telephone a meaningless apology and inactive privation Todd McCarthy fired.

"The volition of my erstwhile missive was to item the urgent request for the national authorities to guarantee a regulatory situation that fosters economical maturation and prosperity for each of Canada, including for First Nations communities, portion respecting provincial jurisdiction," McCarthy wrote successful a missive sent to each First Nation chiefs and expansive chiefs crossed the province. 

"We powerfully judge this is not an either-or proposition: we tin and request to bring cleanable drinking h2o to First Nations communities, portion besides bringing the benignant of regulatory certainty that attracts concern successful businesses and communities. I apologize for the disorder caused by the erstwhile letter."

First Nation telephone for minister to resign

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige was fuming connected Friday.

She called McCarthy "absolutely incompetent" and said his latest missive was insulting. The biggest issue, she said, was that helium did not retreat his petition to the national government.

"It's each fume and mirrors due to the fact that helium got caught and present he's trying to screen his tracks," said Debassige, whose enactment represents 39 First Nations successful bluish and confederate Ontario. "This is not a meaningful apology and he's assuming that our enactment is not intelligent successful this letter."

He needs to suffer his job, Debassige said.

"I deliberation the premier has some present a motivation and ethical work to respond to this insanity by removing this minister," she said.

The state has said McCarthy volition stay successful his post.

Bill C-61 to reintroduce successful fall

Last month, McCarthy and Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz wrote to national Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin asking her to determination distant from authorities that they accidental would "delay task improvement and undermine competitiveness."

They singled retired Bill C-61, authorities introduced successful the past Parliament that sought to guarantee First Nations person entree to cleanable drinking h2o and tin support caller h2o sources connected their territories.

The measure faced a lengthy committee process but was not passed into instrumentality earlier Parliament was prorogued earlier this year, and Dabrusin said past week that her authorities plans to reintroduce it successful the fall.

WATCH | Less than 2 hours from Toronto, radical don't spot the pat water: 

Now Debassige, who helped draught the authorities with the national government, is disquieted Ottawa whitethorn alteration the cleanable drinking h2o measure and weaken it successful response.

There are 37 First Nations crossed the state that person semipermanent boil-water advisories, and 26 of them are successful Ontario.
Neskantaga First Nation successful bluish Ontario has not had cleanable drinking pat h2o for much than 30 years.

The Chiefs of Ontario, which represents each 133 First Nations successful the province, and Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents 49 First Nations successful northwestern Ontario, condemned McCarthy's request.

New Democrat and authoritative Opposition Leader Marit Stiles said she's met young First Nation women successful their 20s and 30s who person ne'er been capable to portion h2o from the taps.

"The curate of situation had the gall to inquire the national authorities to suspend immoderate actions to lick that problem," Stiles said. "It is depraved and outrageous."

The situation minister's archetypal missive to the national authorities came astatine a fraught clip for the province.

Bill 5 precocious passed

Premier Doug Ford's authorities precocious passed Bill 5 into law. The purpose of that authorities is to velocity up the support and operation of ample projects, including mines.

One portion of that measure gave furniture the powerfulness to suspend provincial and municipal laws done the instauration of alleged "special economical zones."

Ford has said the mineral-rich Ring of Fire successful bluish Ontario volition beryllium the archetypal specified zone.

That instrumentality sparked galore protests astatine Queen's Park successful Toronto. A akin measure introduced by Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal authorities that precocious passed into instrumentality strips distant galore onshore protections successful an effort to rapidly physique projects deemed successful the "national interest."

In response, assemblage members from Attawapiskat First Nation and Neskantaga First Nation person begun gathering imperishable encampments on the Attawapiskat River astatine 2 projected span crossings for the roadworthy to the Ring of Fire.

Province's 2nd apology successful caller weeks

McCarthy's apology was the 2nd by the state to First Nations successful caller weeks.

Debassige and respective twelve First Nation chiefs met with Premier Doug Ford a fewer weeks agone to sermon Bill 5. Ford had said the time earlier that First Nations should halt coming to him "hat successful hand" if they don't get connected committee with the bill.

He past apologized to Debassige and those chiefs successful a backstage gathering earlier repeating it astatine a quality league connected unrecorded television. Debassige and the chiefs accepted that apology and agreed to determination guardant with extended consultations connected the caller law.

Debassige said Ford told them that time helium was successful afloat enactment of cleanable drinking h2o for each Ontario First Nations and was going to fig retired a mode to help.