Thursday, July 23, 2026 – First Nations in Canada wary of new bill addressing longstanding water issues

More than 35 First Nations in Canada have active drinking water advisories, but a new federal bill aims to address the issue. Indigenous leaders are critical of the bill and argue that it limits federal liability and fails to protect clean water as a basic human right. Some Indigenous communities have been without clean water since the 1960s, leading First Nations leaders to demand legislative fixes to industrial pollution and longstanding neglect by the federal government. We’ll hear from leaders and experts about what’s in the new water bill and the ongoing water crisis in parts of the country. We’ll also hear about a new scientific study by Conservation International that examines how Indigenous stewardship and cultural practices improve the ecological health of lands. Researchers looked at the unique practices of more than 40 Indigenous communities around the world and how they’re adapting to a changing climate. GUESTS Linda Debassige (M’Chigeeng First Nation), Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation Leah Gazan (Wood Mountain Lakota Nation), NDP Member of Parliament Kerry Black, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Calgary Sushma Shrestha Sangat (Newari), conservation scientist and researcher   Break 1 Music: Red Dust Rising (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album) Break 2 Music: I Know [feat. Sebastian Gaskin] (song) Shub (artist) Heritage [Pt. 2] (album)