Justin Trudeau vows to end First Nations reserve boil-water advisories within 5 years

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau promised Monday to end boil-water advisories on First Nations reserves within five years.

"We have 93 different communities under 133 different boil-water advisories," Trudeau told a town hall hosted by Vice magazine.

• Neskantaga First Nation demands action on 20-year boil-water advisory
• Feds spent $1M on bottled water in First Nation with broken water plant, chief says
• 10 First Nations with more than 10 years of bad water
• CBC News Aboriginal

"A Canadian government led by me will address this as a top priority because it's not right in a country like Canada. This has gone on for far too long."

Earlier in the day, Trudeaureleasedhis full package of campaign promises, an 88-page plan that includes billions pledged for infrastructure projects, including investments inwater facilities, as well as acommitment to First Nations education of $750 million per year over the next four years.

Trudeau's promise came on the same day as theNeskantaga First Nation, which hashas the longest-standing boil-water advisory in the country ofmore than 20 years, made an appeal for the next prime minister to intervene personally to addressthe issue.

More than300 people in the northern Ontario reservehave been forced to live under a boil-water advisory since 1995.

"We are calling on the government to be aware of this. We need action. We need resolution as to how [and] why this is continuing today in our community,"Chief WayneMooniassaid Monday.

Earlier this year, CBC News learned the federal government has spent more than $1 million on bottled water for the community.

Neskantaga First Nation calls for action on health conditions

9 years ago

Duration 2:32

First Nations have had enough of the boil-water advisory they've been living under for two decades