NATIONAL AND LOCAL STORIES BY PROJECT MEDIA PARTNERS
Canada’s takeover of First Nations finances left a legacy of substandard homes and contaminated water. National Observer, Aug. 17, 2023.
Decades after mercury poisoned the water, Grassy Narrows still searches for answers – National Observer, Sept. 3, 2021
Decades-old water pollution ravaged the health of 2 Ontario First Nations. Elders are still fighting for justice – National Observer, Sept. 2, 2021
How an Ontario paper mill poisoned nearby First Nations – National Observer, Sept. 1, 2021
Water Is Life: The Fatal Links Between Water Infrastructure, COVID-19, And First Nations In Canada – Yellowhead Institute, Mar. 9, 2021
Les efforts stagnent pour régler le problème du plomb dans l’eau – Le Devoir, le 4 mars, 2021
Broken Promises: Tsuut’ina Nation residents worry about water quality in wells – Global News, Mar. 2, 2021
Lack of federal funding leaves First Nations with new plants but no access to clean water – Global News, Mar. 1, 2021
Running out of water a constant fear for some on Tsuut’ina Nation – Global News, Mar. 1, 2021
Anishnaabe and Dakota chiefs call for inquiry over revelations in Broken Promises investigation – Global News, Feb. 28, 2021
Ottawa traîne les pieds – Le Devoir, le 27 fév., 2021
Southern Chiefs Organization calls for inquiry into federal process for awarding infrastructure contracts – APTN News, Feb. 25, 2021
First Nations workers in Saskatchewan sacrifice wages, vacation to run underfunded water systems – APTN News, Feb. 25, 2021
Temporary fixes, outdated policies leave some First Nations without safe drinking water: AG – Global News, Feb. 25, 2021
‘Not an honest effort’: First Nations leaders say water infrastructure must account for climate change – National Observer, Feb. 25, 2021
Digging deep: Inside the Clean Water, Broken Promises investigation – (Video) – APTN InFocus, Feb. 24, 2021
Marc Miller wants to improve working conditions for First Nations water operators ‘as soon as possible’ – Global News, Feb. 24, 2021
Que se passe-t-il dans le dossier de l’eau potable chez les Premières Nations? – (Vidéo) – Le Devoir, le 24 fév., 2021
U of R and First Nations University students investigate First Nations water issues in Canada-wide journalism project – University of Regina, Feb. 24, 2021
Indigenous Services minister says Ottawa must work with communities to get data on water-related health outcomes – (Video) – Global News, Feb. 24, 2021
Why the feds’ $1.7B investment in new infrastructure in First Nations hasn’t accounted for climate change – National Observer, Feb. 24, 2021
Des communautés autochtones isolées de tout, sauf des changements climatiques – Le Devoir, le 24 fév., 2021
Tainted drinking water found in several First Nations daycares and schools in Quebec – APTN News, Feb. 23, 2021
‘It doesn’t make sense’: Feds pledged spend billions on First Nations water plants, but not on the pipes to carry fresh water to homes – APTN News, Feb. 23, 2021
BC Tests Found Unsafe Lead Levels in Water of 35 First Nation Schools – The Tyee, Feb. 23, 2021
Du plomb dans l’eau d’écoles et de garderies autochtones du Québec – Le Devoir, le 23 fév., 2021
Lack of funding for piped water on First Nations in Sask. means some on reserves can’t drink from their taps – Global News, Feb. 23, 2021
Lack of funding for piped water on First Nations in Sask. means some on reserves can’t drink from their taps – Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Feb. 23, 2021
Overworked, underpaid: Ottawa’s chronic underfunding leaves Indigenous water operators behind – APTN News, Feb. 22, 2021
Feds grilled over construction firms hired for First Nations infrastructure projects – APTN News, Feb. 22, 2021
Trudeau gov. grilled over construction firms hired for First Nations infrastructure projects – Global News, Feb. 22, 2021
Trudeau gov. grilled over construction firms hired for First Nations infrastructure projects – National Observer, Feb. 22, 2021
Report: Lifespan of First Nations water infrastructure cut short by underfunding – APTN News, Feb. 22, 2021
Overworked, underpaid: Ottawa’s chronic underfunding leaves Indigenous water operators behind – Global News, Feb. 22, 2021
Bad Water Sickens First Nations. But Government Doesn’t Track the Toll – The Tyee, Feb. 22, 2021
Eau potable et Premières Nations: un manque d’entretien chronique menace les infrastructures – Le Devoir, le 22 fév., 2021
Kebaowek se serre la ceinture – Le Devoir, le 22 fév., 2021
First Nations workers in Saskatchewan sacrifice wages, vacation to run underfunded water systems – Global News, Feb. 22, 2021
First Nations workers in Sask. sacrifice wages, vacation to run underfunded water systems – Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Feb. 22, 2021
Broken Promises: An investigation into drinking water in First Nations Communities – Univ. of Regina & First Nations Univ. of Canada, Feb. 2021
Indigenous services minister ‘alarmed’ by allegations about construction practices on First Nations – Global News, Feb. 20, 2021
Indigenous services minister ‘alarmed’ by allegations about construction practices on First Nations – APTN National News, Feb. 20, 2021
Clean water, broken promises – National Observer, Feb. 18, 2021
How colonial systems have left some First Nations without drinking water – Global News, Feb. 18, 2021
Former Neskantaga contractor accused of cutting corners in other First Nations – APTN News, Dec. 23, 2020
Former Neskantaga contractor accused of cutting corners in other First Nations – Global News, Dec. 21, 2020
First Nations speak out about work with contractor linked to Neskantaga water crisis – National Observer, Dec. 21, 2020
Federal government approves $1.9M for contractor that didn’t complete Neskantaga water project on time – APTN News, Dec. 10, 2020
Trudeau gov. approved $1.9M for contractor that didn’t complete Neskantaga water project on time – Global News, Dec. 10, 2020
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
RTNDA Award for Investigative Journalism, Central Region, DigitalAward for Investigative Journalism, Central Region, Digital: Win, 2021
Canadian Journalism Foundation, Jackman Award for Excellence: Nomination, 2022
Canadian Association of Journalists, Data Journalism Award: Nomination, 2022
Digital Publishing Awards, Digital Innovation: Nomination, 2022
RTDNA, Prairies, Multiplatform, Investigative: Nomination, 2022
RTDNA, East, Multiplatform, Investigative Excellence: Nomination, 2022
Student awards:
Native American Journalists Association, associate, multimedia: Win, 2022
Emerge Awards, website: Win, 2022
Credits
Contributors to the “Broken Promises” investigation include students, faculty members and journalists at a consortium of universities, colleges and media companies, coordinated by Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism. An advisory board guided project design and execution.
Carleton University
- Erica Endemann, Jordan Haworth, Katie Jacobs, Dexter McMillan
- Instructor: Christopher Waddell
Concordia University
- Laurence Brisson Dubreuil, Luca Caruso-Moro, Charlotte Glorieux, Olivia Johnson, Tristan McKenna, Kaaria Quash, Stéphanie Ricci
- Instructor: Patti Sonntag
First Nations University of Canada
- Taryn Acoose, Brittany Boschman, Charmaine Ermine, Danna Henderson, Krystal Lewis, Alicia Morrow, Darla Ponace, Mercedes Redman, Shayla Sayer-Brabant, Doris Wesaquate
- Instructor: Patricia W. Elliott
Humber College
- Tricia Chan, Patrick Simpson, Anukul Thakur, Anushka Yadav
- Instructors: Terra Ciolfe, Lara King
University of Regina
- Suliman Adam, Kerry Benjoe, Adam Bent, Ethan Butterfield, Jacob Carr, Dylan Earis, Morgan Esperance, Mick Favel, Libby Giesbrecht, Sayda Momtaha Habib, Theresa Kliem, Michelle Lerat, Donovan Maess, Kaitlynn Nordal, Kehinde Olalafe, Heather O’Watch, Julia Peterson, Tuuli Rantasalo, Paige Reimer, Kaitlyn Schropp, Dan Sherven, Penny Smoke, Dawson Thompson, Jasper Watrich
- Instructors: Patricia Elliott, Trevor Grant, Layton Burton
MacEwan University
- Angela Amato, Nikita Case, Brittany Ekelund, Gabriel Gauthier, Benjamin Hollihan, Rudy Howell, Cecilia Lietz, Stefan Salegio, Aubrianna Snow, Corbin Stewart, Andy Trussler
- Instructor: Steve Lillebuen
Mount Royal University
- Noel Harper, Christian Kindrachuk, Georgia Longphee, Kiah Lucero, Andrea Wong, Karina Zapata
- Instructor: Janice Paskey
Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
- Philippe Julien-Bougie, Genevieve Larochelle-Guy, Lila Maître, Bruno Marcotte, Étienne Robidoux
- Instructor: Patti Sonntag with Jean-Hugues Roy
University of British Columbia
- Braela Kwan, Carol Eugene Park, Brandon Wei
- Instructor: Charles Berret
University of King’s College
- Nebal Snan, Emma Wilkie
- Instructor: Pauline Dakin
Broken Promises documentary produced by students in JRN306 at the School of Journalism – University of Regina
Editorial board: Advisors
Jamuna Galay-Tamang, Duncan McCue, Karyn Pugliese, Martha Troian
Editorial board: Faculty
Charles Berret, Pauline Dakin, Patricia W. Elliott, Trevor Grant, Lara King, Steve Lillebuen, April Lindgren, Janice Paskey, Jean-Hugues Roy, Patti Sonntag (director), Christopher Waddell
APTN News
Paul Barnsley, Mark Blackburn, Derek Christianson, Tom Fennario, Brittany Hobson, Cheryl McKenzie, Angel Moore, Tamara Pimentel, Melissa Ridgen, Priscilla Wolf
Global News
Marney Blunt, Mike De Souza, Jayme Doll, Daina Goldfinger, Ryan Kessler, Elizabeth McSheffrey, Andrew Russell, Katherine Ward, Krista Hessey
Le Devoir
Anabelle Nicoud, Alexis Riopel
National Observer
David McKie
Saskatoon Star-Phoenix
Andrea Hill
The Tyee
David Beers, Francesca Fionda
2020 IIJ Summer Fellows – Includes data gathering and analysis for “Project Pandemic”
Angela Amato, Jaida Beaudin-Herney, Laurence Brisson Dubreuil, Erica Endemann, Lila Maître, Noel Harper, Carol Eugene Park, Anukul Thakur, Emma Wilkie, Karina Zapata
Institute for Investigative Journalism
Editorial assistant: Lea Sabbah