Around 80 students at the University of Winnipeg learned about hardships on Shoal Lake 40 First Nation Thursday night.
Students for Freedom Road organized a panel discussion to talk about the First Nation, which has been under a boil water advisory for 18 years.
The plight of Shoal Lake 40 gained widespread attention after Winnipeg’s boil water advisory in mid-January.
“People who didn't know anything about this all of a sudden wanted to know more. I think once people have an understanding of what the situation is like, they kind of want to know a bit more. And the situation is pretty bad out there," said organizer Jon Benson.
The panel consisted of Shoal Lake policy analyst Cuyler Cotton, city councilor Cindy Gilroy, and Shoal Lake 40 member Daryl Redsky.
Redsky grew up on the First Nation and said little has changed since he was a child.
He said it’s difficult to access basic services and hopes his will be the last generation to deal with these problems.
Cindy Gilroy recently travelled to the First Nation with other city councilors.
She said she’s always been sympathetic towards Shoal Lake, but gained a different perspective after travelling there.
Gilroy reaffirmed the city’s commitment to helping create a road between Shoal Lake and the mainland community.
Shoal Lake provides the drinking water for Winnipeg.
