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Doctors flown into the Kashechewan First Nation in northern Ontario say they have identified dozens of children with skin conditions, but say it is not a medical emergency.
The community requested that the doctors visit the Cree community of about 1,800 after photos posted on Facebook showed two children with alarming-looking skin lesions.
In question period on Monday, Health Minister Jane Philpott was adamant that the rashes and sores are not caused by the reserve’s water. But the community’s former chief is “still skeptical.”
“I can’t rule out water yet until I know what’s causing these issues,” Derek Stephen told CTV News.
“A full review needs to be done of our facilities, our infrastructure, and also our environmental impacts,” said Stephen, whose baby niece has been affected by the unknown condition.
“I can’t rule out water yet until I know what’s causing these issues.”
— Derek Stephen, former Kashechewan chief
Stephen said repeated floods and sewage back-ups in recent years have contaminated the reserve’s land and the grounds have yet to be properly cleaned.
“This is where our kids play,” Stephen said. “I think the whole community is contaminated.”
The children’s health crisis in Kashechewan has brought a renewed urgency to its water issue, which has been simmering for over a decade.
Kashechewan is a Cree community upstream from James Bay and home to about 1,900 people. The closest urban centre is Timmins, 400 kilometres away.
Agencies/Canadajournal
