All Photos: Water First Interns pose with Minister Hajdu after a tour of the Eric Vautour, M’Chigeeng First Nation water treatment plant. from , calibrates equipment in order to test the water around his community’s drinking water intake.

Interns collect surface water samples in West Bay on Manitoulin Island.

Interns with program partners during the Graduation ceremony at the Aundeck Omni Kaning Pow Wow Grounds.

Providing employment opportunities for youth to succeed in the water industry.

By Emily Worts

When John Millar, executive director issues. He found none. “There were many for their future water treatment plant. and founder of Water First, attended government, industry, and First Nations “Within three years our First Nations a national water conference focused representatives present, but there were work became 90 per cent of what we were on First Nations water issues he was virtually no Canadian NGOs,” says Millar. doing so we changed the organization shocked at the lack of representation At the conference, Millar spoke with name to Water First (from Tin Roof Global) by Canadian NGOs. At the time Millar Indigenous representatives from coast to with an exclusive emphasis on First was running a charity addressing global coast to coast and enquired as to what Nations water challenges,” says Millar. water issues, specifically in Uganda. kinds of NGO programs were available Since then the organization has “I went to a conference in Toronto for to them and found none. collaborated with more than 50 First water projects abroad and there were Millar returned to his office in Nations communities. They have worked hundreds of people from dozens of Creemore, and started in Ontario, Quebec, and Labrador and Canadian NGOs,” recalls Millar of the exploring ways to support First Nations are currently building relationships conference in 2013. communities with water challenges. He in Manitoba. A few months later, he attended the partnered with Carleton University and Their latest effort, the Water First water conference in Ottawa, expecting began working on a baseline water quality Internship program, began with all seven to again find dozens of Canadian NGOs, study in partnership with Shawanaga First Nations on Manitoulin Island in this time addressing First Nations water First Nation, identifying an intake site the spring of 2017, and aims to increase

26 january/february 2019 the local pool of water treatment plant study in his home community and Dallas Goodfellow, 25, operators. The internship was piloted with his OIT and Water Quality was born in Sault Ste. in partnership with the United Chiefs Analyst (WQA) certification he is now Marie, and moved to and Councils of Mnidoo Minsing working for the Ontario Clean Water AOK when he was in (UCCMM), Wiikwemkoong Unceded Agency in Espanola, Ontario, less than Grade 3. The Water First Territory, and the Anishnabek Union 20 minutes from his home community. Internship inspired him of Ontario Indians, with funding to continue his education and he is now from Employment and Social Naomi Mandamin, 32, enrolled in the pre-trades program at Development . has been fascinated Cambrian College and hopes to In August 2018, 10 successful interns with science for as long eventually obtain a diploma in civil graduated from the two-year program as she can remember. engineering or environmental science. and began careers in water treatment and “I’ve always wanted to environmental science, or were inspired work in a lab,” she says. Cassidy Beaudin, 20, to continue studying water at the post- The scope of Water First’s training— plans to turn his secondary level. The internship helped from testing for chlorine, hardness, Water First Internship interns acquire necessary certification to alkalinity and turbidity to experience into a job as a begin a life dedicated to the stewardship microbiological analysis, and surface treatment plant operator. of their community’s health and water sampling—is right up her alley. Cassidy obtained both his well-being. Mandamin is now working as the OIT and WQA certification and is looking environmental coordinator for UCCMM. forward to taking on the everyday tasks that Inaugural Water First interns are part of the job, from sampling to tapping Paige Manitowabi, 29, into water lines to cleaning out holding The Water First is excited to take what tanks. He sees a bright future in the field. Internship means she learned as a Water Chelsea Antoine The Water First First intern and Debassige, 24, can work Internship offered Eric combine it with her in her home community, Vautour, 25, an growing interest in Zhiibaahaasing (the opportunity to enhance traditional ways. That mix most remote area on Manitoulin previous knowledge and of knowledge, she believes, could be the Island). She is currently the project grow his passion for key to solving many issues. Manitowabi coordinator for Swim Drink Fish activism. He is working as an is currently combining her passion for Canada in Zhiibaahaasing, a position environmental technician/OIT in his water and the environment as the she wouldn’t have been able to obtain home community and splits his time environmental field technician at without the experience she gained between the water plant and working on Wahnapitae First Nation. during the internship. environmental projects, like his community’s source water protection “As I’m getting older, Alex Cartagena, 30, a plan. “This Internship has taught me father of two, is excited I’m starting to think more about the situation of clean water by the prospect of about the generations in our province. I didn’t know how many gainful employment that are coming. This is First Nations communities were without the internship offers. important work,” says clean water. I really want to change Before the internship Chris Wemigwans, 46, that in the next few years,” he says. of the Water First Internship. With the he worked for a quarry and when it (See page 28 for more details about Eric.) WC hands-on experience and knowledge he shutdown, his bills went unpaid. Tired gained through the internship, he is of underemployment and armed with now working for his home community, his WQA certification and GED he Emily Worts is a writer Aundeck Omni Kaning (AOK), as an now works at his local plant part-time. based in Creemore, Ont. operator in training (OIT) at the local “For our culture, water water treatment plant. is life. It’s important, Post-secondary and I try to teach my education took Alex son the same,” says Nahwegahbow, 23, Amy Waboose, 23. She For further information on the away from Whitefish recently accepted a Water First intern program, visit River First Nation but full-time position at her local water he struggled with the treatment plant and is a youth waterfirst.ngo/our-projects/ necessity of being so far away from representative on the Whitefish River water-first-internship home. The internship allowed him to Source Water Protection Committee.

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