Attawapiskat has been evacuated due to seasonal flooding. There was also a long-standing issue of a fuel-oil spill that contaminated a school site. No clean up was conducted, and people were made very ill by being exposed to the fumes within the building. Portable school buildings were set up, but it was 30 years before the old school building was torn down. That process disturbed the contaminated soil, and there was a lot of pressure on the Department of Indian Affairs to evacuate the community until the spill site could be properly decontaminated. I believe the situation is still unresolved. Read about it here.
Kashechewan is located on the flood plain of the Albany River. They have seasonal flooding, and long-standing mold problems in all the community housing. Their water-treatment facility was improperly maintained, and E. coli contamination of the community water supply occurred. They have been evacuated a number of times, both due to flooding and due to drinking water problems. Community leaders have argued that the only lasting solution is to relocate the community to higher ground (Duh!), but Indian Affairs refuses to pay for it. Read about it here.
One could be forgiven if one suspects that these communities might not put much faith in senior governments protecting their health and environment.
Under Treaty 9, and along with e.g. Marten Falls, and Webequie, they have a common aboriginal representation under the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.
Lar
