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Autumn Peltier: The Water Warrior

Since age 8, she's been advocating for access to clean drinking water in Canada's Indigenous communities. Now she's leading this fight on the international stage. Meet 'water warrior' Autumn Peltier.

Autumn Peltier is leading the fight for access to water on the international stage

She was born in 2004 on Manitoulin Island, in Canada. The “water warrior,” as she’s been called, is a member of the Wiikwemkoong First Nation, one of the 10 largest First Nations in Canada. At 8, she participated in a ceremony at the Serpent River Reservation, whose water was contaminated by nearby uranium mining. It was at that moment she decided to advocate for access to drinking water around the world.

In her view, protecting water is part of the identity and culture of Canada's indigenous peoples. To access drinking water, First Nations in Canada face many challenges. Today, 61 communities do not have access to it and have to boil water before drinking or brushing their teeth. The reasons: industrial pollution, lack of infrastructure and global warming.

At 12, she directly confronted the current Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, about this situation. She also spoke at several international conferences, notably alongside Greta Thunberg at Davos in 2020. In May 2019, she was appointed Chief Water Commissioner by the Anishinabek Nation, which represents 40 member First Nations across Ontario, her home province. She was voted one of the top 25 Women of Influence of 2020 by the organization “Women of Influence.”

Brut.

03/28/2020 9:31 AM

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29 comments

  • Walter S.
    04/18/2021 11:32

    Mini Wiconi this is so Wakan 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏. God bless you sister

  • Vojín D.
    07/30/2020 17:14

    Worst thing is when you live in the world where Empathy, Kindness and Moral principles are taken as a weakness by those who destroying our Planet for profit 😔

  • Hirsson B.
    06/14/2020 10:12

    I am so so sorry that government of the United States don't give you back all of the lands and treat you like that they all are imigrants And should be send out and you should get back all your ancestors lands

  • Rose I.
    06/13/2020 16:51

    God bless always I'm Seminole and my daughter is named Autumn!! God bless

  • Miroslav B.
    06/12/2020 23:37

    Good luck

  • John M.
    06/12/2020 01:59

    Clean water is a must for every one

  • Mary A.
    06/11/2020 01:13

    I can’t be a proud Canadian when Indigenous peoples do not have access to clean water. Systemic racism thrives here too.

  • Eddie L.
    06/10/2020 14:40

    I use to think Canada was a great country.... having learnt so many things about it.....Maybe not! 😲

  • Miranda V.
    06/10/2020 14:08

    Everyone should have clean water. Our government is a disgrace by allowing this to continue!!!!

  • Nelson L.
    06/10/2020 12:49

    True spirit is a real reality...

  • Gloryan G.
    05/11/2020 23:24

    ❤️ + 🌍 = 💚 🙂

  • Sharon K.
    05/11/2020 16:51

    😔🙏💖

  • Hossen A.
    05/11/2020 13:28

    Great

  • Pio R.
    05/11/2020 06:02

    Buongiorno e Bellissimo

  • Red C.
    05/11/2020 02:01

    I've recently watched Ellen Page documentary about environmental racism and it's really sad that these communities are suffering from diseases and they are dying because of cancer.

  • Prince R.
    05/10/2020 19:20

    Kia kaha

  • Suchindram B.
    05/10/2020 18:00

    Please form a group irrespective of country to fight against pollution

  • Suchindram B.
    05/10/2020 17:59

    I truly support her we all should fight for our mother earth. Every day Earth is getting destroyed for our greed. Declare unconditional war against environmental pollution

  • Adrian I.
    05/10/2020 15:59

    If you can't trust the land cuz there is only winter and summer no individual is going to be able to be autosuficient. The food will still be there but the control of it will be completely for the big companys (the only ones that are going to be able to afford it). With water is exactly the same. May be a sign that the destruction of ecosystems and nature's reliability could be intentional? Once you do that you destroy the independence of vast numbers of people and the control of the population will be almost total. They will be able to put the leash as tight as they want. It's not about telling them out loud that climate change is a real thing. I see many activists misunderstanding this when really it's very clear. We have to stop thinking that the people above making the decisions are just dumb and greedy. It's not that. It's a plan and it's all about control and being able to cut the risk of loosing it.

  • Anil R.
    05/10/2020 14:13

    allopathy cannot save world fb.com/2928309367253585