(Supplied: UofA website)

By Abby Zieverink

BPM Keynote event: March 15

Peace Region woman advocating for clean drinking water in Indigenous communities

Mar 2, 2022 | 12:34 PM

A woman originally from the Peace Country will be speaking on a panel about Indigenous communities in Canada and the struggle for access to clean and safe drinking water.

The panel is hosted by the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW), a part of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, will feature a panel of experts representing leaders, advocates, and individuals with lived experience.

Jessica Vandenberghe, the Assistant Dean of Engineering Community and Culture at the University of Alberta, is set to be one of the keynote speakers.

Indigenous communities across the country have struggled with access to clean drinking water, and while some advisories have been lifted, there are currently 43 drinking water advisories in effect in 31 Indigenous communities in Canada.

Vandenberghe hopes to facilitate awareness, education, and advocate for safe drinking water in all Canadian Indigenous Communities.

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Vandenberghe grew up on a farm in the Webster area before she moved to Woking. Born on the Dene Tha’ First Nation and a Sixties Scoop Survivor, she says having the opportunity to speak at this event is an honour.

“It is such an honour to be able to give a voice for Indigenous peoples in communities because there’s a huge sense of urgency around especially infrastructure and water issues in the community,” she expressed.

“I know it directly affects a lot of communities within Alberta. There are a lot of First Nations communities, Metis settlements, and Metis nations (in Alberta) and it’s such an honour to bring the University of Alberta to these tables as well. We are a leading academic institution and Truth and Reconciliation is one of our strategic priorities, so being able to be an expert on behalf of the university is an honour.”

Having worked in many First Nations, Metis Settlements, and Metis Nations, Vandenberghe says she has seen first-hand the state of affairs many of these communities are in.

“There are some communities that are in a great state, have some great industry partners and economic development but there are still quite a few that still have social-economic issues that really, really need voices of people; especially those who can offer credibility to the lived experience around that.”

Because of her extensive work in equity, diversity, inclusion, Truth and Reconciliation as well as her role as an Industrial Professor, Engineer and Assistant Dean for Engineering Community and Culture, Vandenberghe says she hopes to be a strong voice to build advocacy support for Indigenous communities across the nation.

“We hope to continue to build government awareness and industry awareness and really position people to leave the talk feeling empowered, and their place on how they can contribute bringing basic human rights to Indigenous Peoples in communities, especially in the form of clean drinking water.

The online panel discussion is free to attend and is set for Tuesday, March 15 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

A link to register can be found here.